A 

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HARTFORD 


By 


William    Colegrox  c 


:-^V- 


£SgP 

SgH  •: 


THE  LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


HARTFORD 

An   Epic   Poem 


BY 


WILLIAM  COLEGROVE 


BOSTON 
RICHARD  G.  BADGER 

The  Gorham  Press 
1905 


Copyright  1005  by  WILLIAM  COLEGROVE 
All  Rights  Reserved 


Printed  at 

THE  GORHAM  PRESS 
Boston,  U.  S.  A 


BOOK  I. 

Arms  and  the  men  I  sing  who  erst  to  Connecticut  land 
came, 

Founding  a  Puritan  Colony  there  by  the  River  at  Hart- 
ford ;— 

Men  of  intelligence  chiefly,  and  men  of  integrity  also, — 

Men  whose  Religion  was  certainly  not  a  mere  shallow 
profession, 

But  was  the  constantly  active  incentive,  the  root  and  the 
mainspring 

Of  their  demeanor  and  customs,  their  enterprise,  and  of 
their  life-work. 

Lovers  of  Liberty  and  the  advantages  of  it  by  nature, 

Yet  their  endeavors  were  mainly  to  gain  that  Freedom 
of  Worship 

Which  was  denied  them  where  they  were  born  and  had 

sported  in  childhood. 

Much  they  had  suffered  in  Albion  land  for  the  free- 
dom of  Conscience, — 

Scourged,  and  imprisoned,  and  fined,  and  committed  to 
murderous  hot  flames, — 

Scorned,  and  pursued  with  implacable  hatred,  they  bore 
it  a  long  time ; 

Then,  in  despair  of  obtaining  the  rights  they  had  earn- 
estly sought  there, 

They  had  sojourned  in  the  Netherlands,  waiting  and 
hoping  for  some  change 

Making    it     possible    they     should     return    to    that 
beautiful  England 

Where  they  were  born,  and  for  which  in  their  tedious 
and  pitiful  exile 

Always  they  yearned  with  a  warmth  and  a  tenderness 
not  to  be  set  forth 

Fairly  and  fully  with  adequate  strength  and  perfection 
of  language. 

(3) 


2134^30 


4  HARTFORD 

Driven  at  length  to  abandon  all  hopes  of  their  ever 
returning, 

They  had  resolved  to  attempt  to  pass  over  the  perilous 
Ocean, 

And  to  create  for  themselves  in  American  wilds  a  new 
England 

Where  they  might  worship  in  freedom  and  safety  the 
God  of  their  Fathers. 

Great  tribulations  they   suffered;  and   perils   unnum- 
bered pursued  them; 

But  they  were  over  the  ocean  at  last,  and  had  built  for 
themselves  homes, 

Humble,  but  precious  and  cheerful,  at  Plymouth,  and 

Salem,  and  Boston. 

Others  arrived ;  and  the  Settlements  grew  with  a 
vigor  surprising. 

Boston  at  length   was   o'ercrowded, — embarrassed   al- 
ready with  numbers, — 

So  that  a  part  of  the  people  selected  another  location 

Where  there  was  room  for  all  comers,  and  christened 

the  settlement  Newtown. 

Over  the  Church  that  was  formed  in  the  Colony  there 
we  behold  now 

Hooker,  the  servant  of  God,  and  the  faithful  instructor 
of  young  men. 

England  the  home  of  his  earlier  days,  and  his  native 
place   Marfield, — 

Holland  the  scene  of  his  labor  in  years  of  his  weari- 
some exile ; — 

Then  with  his  people  to  Boston  he  came,  and  sojourned 
for  a  time  there 

Ere  they  determined  to  form  a  new  settlement  over  the 

river. 

He  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  prudence,  and  skill  in 
devising 

Measures  to  benefit  every  class  of  his  friends  and  his 
neighbors. 


HARTFORD  5 

Many  the  books  that  he  wrote ;  and  great  was  the  fame 
of  his  genius. 

Easily  chief  of  the  heroes,  and  first  in  the  number  of 
great  men 

Counted   as   leaders   and    heads    of   the   people   who 
founded  the  new  State, 

Yet  he  came  not  as  a  Conqueror,  nor  an  invader  of 
men's  rights, — 

Not  with  belligerent  squadrons  marshalled  for  pillage 
and  plunder, — 

Not  with  the  roaring  of  cannon,  nor  gleaming  and  flash- 
ing of  broad-swords, — 

Not  with  destroying  chariots,  nor  with  the  prancing  of 
horses 

Trained  for  the  battle,  and  carrying  warriors  clad  in 
thick  armor, — 

Not  with  the  rattling  of  drums,  nor  screams  of  the 
piercing  and  shrill  fife, — 

Not  with  the  eagles  of  conquest,  nor  with  the  banners 
of  red  war, 

But  with  equipments  for  enterprise  higher,  and  nobler, 

and  grander. 

Wielding  the  weapons  of  reason  and  logic,  he  battled 
for  great  truths ; 

Wielding  the  Scriptures  in  wisdom,  he  battled  for  jus- 
tice and  right  ways ; 

Panoplied  well  in  the  armor  of  righteousness,  all  his 
endeavors 

Were  for  the  good  of  his  people,  and  building  up  beau- 
tiful Zion. 

"Light  of  the  Churches"  the  title  of  honor  that  good 
people  gave  him ; 

Gentle  of  spirit,  and  tolerant  of  the  opinions  of  others, 

Charity  crowned  the  bright   pyramid    formed   of   his 

graces  and  virtues. 

Kindred  in  spirit  with  Hooker,  and  sharing  his  la- 
bors as  Colleague, 


6  HARTFORD 

Stone,  without  contest,  was  nearly  his  equal  in  work 

sacerdotal, — 
Highly  esteemed  for  his  gifts,  and  his  patience,  and 

wonderful  meekness, 
Much  he  encouraged,  and  strengthened,  and  helped  his 

friends  and  companions. 
England  the  place  of  his  birth,  and  the  place  of  his 

studious  young  days, — 
England  beloved  and  lamented,  deserted  at  last  with 

great  sorrow. 

Thomas  and  Samuel  nurtured  their  flock  in  com- 
mendable union, — 
Not  undermining,  but  each  one  esteeming  the  other 

more  worthy; — 
Bravely  they  labored  in  harmony,  sowing  the  seed  of 

the  Gospel, — 
Patiently  waiting  and  watching,  enduring  privations 

and  hardships. 
Grateful  for  mercies  already  obtained,  yet  Hooker 

perceived  still 
Many  conditions  adverse  to  their  temporal   progress 

and  welfare. 
Sterile  the  soil  there;  scanty  the  harvests  rewarding 

their  labors ; — 
Rumors  had  come  of  a  beautiful  Valley  more  fertile  far 

inland ; — 
Not  satisfactory  were  the  surroundings  in  matters  of 

conscience ; — 
Nearer  together  the  Colonies  were  than  would  policy 

place  them, 

If  it  were  meant  to  allow  them  fair  room  for  their  fu- 
ture expansion ; — 
New  comers  also  were  ready  to  purchase  their  houses 

for  money ; — 
Chiefs  in  Connecticut  Valley  invited  the  English  to 

come  there ; — 
Providence  seemed  to  be  urging  them  on  in  a  manner 

peculiar ; — 


HARTFORD  7 

Hence  they  determined  to  make  a  most  earnest  united 
endeavor, 

Crossing  the  wilderness    rough    intervening   with    all 
their  possessions, 

Thus  to  gain  lands  more  desirable,  and  a  more  excellent 
freedom, 

Founding  upon  the  great  River  a  little  Connecticut 

New-town. 

Prior  to  this,  at  the  earnest  request  and  advice  of  a 
Sachem, 

Governor  Winslow  and  others  from  Plymouth,  explor- 
ing the  country, 

Visiting  every  part  of  the  fertile  and  beautiful  Valley, 

Found  it  inviting,  and  offering  many  inducements  to 
settlers ; 

Hence  they  determined  a  Colony  soon  to  dispatch  to 

that  region. 

News  of  the  movement  conveyed  to  the  Dutch  at  the 
Island  Manhattan 

Caused  them  to  plan  a  bold  scheme  of  obstruction,  and 
seize  the  great  River. 

Quickly  they  sent  and  constructed  a  Fort  on  the  River 
at  Dutch  Point, — 

Hoping  that  thus  they  might  baffle  the  plan  of  the  Eng- 
lish at  Plymouth. 

Vain  their  hope ;    for  bold  Holmes,  the  Commander, 
in  spite  of  their  threatening, 

Passed  them  with  scorning,  and  landed  his  men  and  his 
cargo  at  Windsor. 

There  they  established  a  Trading  House  ample,  and 
made  it  a  strong-hold ; — 

People  from  Boston  soon  came  to  their  aid ;  and  anoth- 
er contingent 

Planted  themselves  at  the  Wethersfield  meadows  below 

the  Dutch  fortress. 

Then  the  redoubtable  Governor,  Wouter  Van  Twiller 
the  smoker, 


8  HARTFORD 

Calling  a  Council  of  War  in  his  Castle  on  Island  Man- 
hattan, 

Quickly  related  with  eloquence  rare  in  the  stops  of  his 
smoking, 

English  aggressions  in  seizing  the  banks  of  Connecti- 
cut River, — 

Threatening  vengeance,  and  vowing  that  shortly  by 
force  he  would  drive  them 

Out  of  his  realms,  and  recover  the  lands  they  had  craft- 
ily stolen. 

"Early  to-morrow  the  Army,"  said  he,  "shall  set  out  on 
its  long  march  ; — 

Seventy  men  must  be  ready ;  and  Captain  Van  Dunder 

shall  lead  them." 

Then  he  dismissed  the  assembly  of  valiant  and  won- 
dering warriors, — 

Summoned  Van  Dunder,  and  ordered  him  straightly  to 

march  in  the  morning. 

Captain  Van  Dunder,  obeying  the  order,  had  marched 
"in  the  morning" 

After  a  month  had  been  spent  in  obtaining  the  men  and 
their  rations, — 

And  in  the  course  of  a  week  had  proceeded  as  far  as  the 
old  Fort 

Standing  in  loneliness  there  on  the  bank  of  the  River 

at  Dutch  Point. 

Having  recruited  the  strength  of  the  forces  with  beer 
and  with  slumber, 

"Onward  and  upward"  beside  the  smooth  current  he 
carefully  led  them 

Till  he  discovered  the  threatening  walls  of  the  For- 
tress at  Windsor. 

Now  reconnoit'ring  with  care  the  position,  and  find- 
ing it  stronger 

Far  than  he  thought,  and  perceiving  the  rashness  of 
any  endeavor 

Forcible  entrance  there  to  secure,  he  halted  his  Army. 


HARTFORD  9 

Then  he  addressed  with  commendable  prudence  the 
soldiers  he  led  there : 

"Not  to  attack  such  a  Castle  as  that  have  we  come  all 
the  way  through 

Forests  and  marshes  and  waste  lands,  and  waters  our 
progress  opposing." 

Sending  a  Flag  then  he  said  to  the  waiting  and  vigilant 
English 

"Wouter   Van   Twiller   requests   and   commands   you 
quickly  to  leave  these 

Regions  included  within  the  domain  which  he  rightfully 

governs." 

Waiting  no  answer,  he  thereupon   turned    and    de- 
parted in  great  haste, 

Marching  with  vigor,  nor  stopping  for  eating  or  sleep- 
ing till  dark  night 

Covered  the  land,  and  removed  from  his  vision  the  way 
he  must  follow ; — 

Then  with  reluctance  permitted  the  men  to  repose  on 
the  bare  ground, — 

Making  repast  upon  what  they  could  find  that  would 

satisfy  hunger. 

Rousing  them  up  when  first  day-light  appeared,  he 
went  rapidly  onward, 

Marching  with  vigor,  nor  stopping  for  eating  or  rest- 
ing till  high  noon  ; — 

Then  with  reluctance  permitting  the  men  to  repose  for 
a  short  time, 

Hastily  eating  whatever  they'd  gathered  to  mollify  hun- 
ger, 

"Forward"  he  ordered,  and  forward  proceeded  with 
resolute  quick-step, 

Marching  with  vigor,  nor  stopping  for  eating  or  rest- 
ing till  night-fall 

Brought  him,  all  covered  with  glory,  again  to  the  Island 
Manhattan, 

Where  he  related  his  wonderful  deeds  while  he  smoked 
with  composure, 


io  HARTFORD 

Making  Report  to  the  Governor,  Wouter  Van  Twiller, 

the  smoker. 

Afterwards  Winthrop  the  younger  from  England  ar- 
rived with  Commission 

Straight  to  erect  a  stout  Fort  at  the  mouth  of  Connecti- 
cut River. 

This  he  constructed,  and,  doing  so,  founded  the  Colony 
Saybrook. 

Scarcely  complete  was  this  Fortress  commanding  the 
mouth  of  the  River 

When  a  Dutch  vessel  with  men  and  provisions  at- 
tempted to  enter. 

Finding  their  enterprise  thwarted  and  baffled,  they  sul- 
lenly turned  back, 

Leaving  the  beautiful  region  above  in  control  of  the 
English ; 

Yet  many  years  was  the  Fortress  maintained  on  the 

River  at  Dutch  Point. 

Hooker  and  Stone  and  their  People,  a  hundred,  at 
Colony  New-town, 

Gathering  wagons  and  carts  and  provisions,  and  cattle, 
a  great  herd, — 

Gathering  implements  needed  by  farmers,  and  poultry, 
and  seed-grain, — 

Selling  their  houses  and  lands,  and  whatever  was  heavy 
and  cumbrous, — 

Choosing  the  beautiful  time  in  the  flowery  June  for 
their  journey, — 

Earnestly  seeking  the  blessing  of  God  in  their  work  for 
his  glory, — 

Strong  in  faith  that  their  prayers  will  be  heard,  and 
that  Heaven  will  guide  them, — 

Bidding  adieu  to  the  friends  who  remain  in  the  place 
they  are  leaving, — 

Start  on  the  route,  but  encamp  just  a  little  way  out  of 

the  village. 

Here  they  examined  their  wagons  and  carts  and  the 
yokes  of  their  oxen, — 


HARTFORD  11 

Implements  also  with  which  they  were  furnished  for 
trades  and  for  farming, — 

Stocks  of  provisions,  and  medicines  too,  which  were 
needful  to  carry, — 

Wearing  apparel  for  Church  and  for  labor,  and  shoes 
for  the  winter, — 

Arms  for  defense,  which    were   also   the    implements 
needful  for  hunting, 

Seeking  to  find  whether  all  were  in  proper  condition  for 
service, — 

Whether  in  starting  had  any  one  matters  important  for- 
gotten. 

Here  too  they  interchanged  final    adieus   with   their 
friends  and  their  neighbors 

Who  had  delayed  to  present  them  their  earnest  and  last 
consolations, — 

Wishing  them  health  and  success  in  their  dubious  peril- 
ous journey ; — 

None  of  them  making,  however,  professions  of  friend- 
ship more  earnest, 

Bidding  "God  speed"  to  the  Pastor,  than  Cotton,  the 

Pastor  of  Boston. 

Some  were  disposed  to  insinuate  broadly  that  Cotton 
was  joyful 

Seeing  his  rival  depart  to  more  distant  and  desolate  re- 
gions ; — 

Also  that  Hooker  was  glad  to  escape  from  the  eye  of 
a  censor. 

These  were  gratuitous  guesses  of  those  without  posi- 
tive knowledge. 

Prudent,  they  carefully  settled  the  method  and  order 
of  marching: 

First  went  pioneer  men  with  their  axes  and  shovels  and 
crow-bars, 

Also  with  three  or  four  muskets,  with  suitable  powder 
and  lead-balls, — 

Finding  or  making  a  way  through  forests  and  marshes 
and  rough  hills, — 


12  HARTFORD 

Rounding  the  Lakes,  and  fording  or  bridging  the  num- 
erous Rivers, — 

Having  no  guides,  but  taking  direction  by  compass,  like 
sailors, — 

Shooting  whatever  occasional  game  they  happened  to 
meet  with, — 

Marking  the  places  where  water  and  fuel  and  grass 
were  abundant, 

Fitting  them    well  for   the  purpose    of  transient    and 

peaceful  encampment. 

Next   were    the    cows    and    their    drivers, — mostly 
young  boys  with  ambition 

Thus  to  display  their  ability  and  their  incipient  man- 
hood. 

Oxen  too  went  with  the  herd,  which  were  held  as  a 
prudent  reserve  for 

Cases  of  any  disaster  to  those  in  the  regular  service. 
After  these  followed  the  carts  and  the  wagons,  right 
heavily  loaded, 

Carrying  all  the  provisions,  and  seeds,  and  the  many 
utensils, — 

Carrying   furniture,    scanty   but   wisely   selected   and 
precious, — 

Carrying  women  and  children,  and  feeble  and  invalid 
old  men, — 

Each  of  them  drawn  by  a  team  of  four  heavy  and  tract- 
able oxen, — 

All  of  them  driven  by  men  in  the  vigorous  prime  of  their 
man-hood, — 

Driven  with  patience  and  skill  and  the  wisdom  of  vet- 
eran sages. 

After  the  wagons  was  borne  in  a  litter  the  wife  of  the 
Pastor, 

Feeble  and  languishing,  but  with  a  cheerfulness  due  to 
her  strong  hope 

Calming  the  fears  and  inciting  the  confidence  of  her 
companions. 


HARTFORD  13 

Chiefs  were    appointed   with    power    to   command, 
should  emergencies  need  them, 

Over  each  part  of  the  boldly  adventurous  column  of  ex- 
iles. 

Every  man  had  his  work  and  position  with  prudence 
assigned  him, 

Making  his  services  always  conduce  to  the  general  wel- 
fare. 

Over  the  whole  expedition  was  placed,  as  a  General 
commanding, 

Hooker,  the  faithful  and  active  and  vigilant  pastor  and 

teacher. 

All  the  arrangements  for  marching  at  last  were  com- 
pletely accomplished; 

And  on  the  morrow  at  sun-rise  all  were  assembled  for 
worship 

There  in  the  circular  area  bounded  by  carts  and  by 
wagons, 

Promptly  obeying  the  vigorous  call  of  the  summoning 
conch-shell. 

Brief  was  the  service ;  the  breakfast  was  eaten ;  the  or- 
der was  given 

Quickly  to  form  the  long  column  in  specified  order  for 
moving, — 

Then  at  the  signal  go  forward  in  hope  of  Jehovah's  pro- 
tection. 

Forward  they  went;  and  soon  they  were  moving 
through  "forest  primeval" 

Where  were  the  "murmuring  pines  and  the  hemlocks" 
making,  as  always, 

Music  unique  and  sublime  and  impressive,  but  only  the 
sub-base 

Grand  in  that  wonderful  Chorus  praising  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness 

Which  on  that  morning  resounded,  and  strengthened 

the  hearts  of  the  Pilgrims. 

Loud  was  the  song  of  the  Robin ;  and  sweet  was  the 
warble  of  Blue-bird ; 


i4  HARTFORD 

Mellowest  flutings  of  Black-birds  were  filling  the  forest 
with  gladness ; 

Masterly  Thrush  from  his  perch  on  the  sassafras  trees 
was  excelling 

All  his  companions  in  melody  varied  and  lively  and 
charming ; 

Bobolink  warbled,  and  reveled  in  wealth  of  his  musical 
diamonds ; 

Plain  little  Sparrow  astonished  and  charmed  by  his  vo- 
cal rejoicing; 

Sweetly  the  notes  of  the  Crow  and  the  Jay  in  the  har- 
mony blended ; 

Voices  of  Squirrels  exulting  in  freedom  were  happily 
tuneful ; 

Even  the  frogs  in  the  marshes  took  part  in  the  joy  and 
the  love- songs ; 

And  of  these  minstrels  so  lively,  all  lovely  with  Na- 
ture's adorning, 

Not  the  sounds  only,  but  colors  were  part  of  the  music 

inspiring. 

Honored  its  Maker  the  scarlet  delight  of  the  Tana- 
ger's  plumage ; 

Aiding  his  song  too  the  flames  of  the  Oriole's  glory 
were  flashing ; 

Waking  the  echoes,  the  chorister,  Crackle,  was  proud 
in  his  purple ; 

Duck-of-the-Wood  with  his  beauty  enlivened  the  rivers 
and  lakelets ; 

Cardinal-bird  in  his  cap  and  his  mantle  of  redness  was 
shining ; 

Lark-of-the-Meadow  too  added  his  quota  of  musical 
beauty ; 

Yellow-bird  glorified  also  the  crown  of  the  blossoming 
thistle ; 

Wake-up  was  bright  with  his  colors  both  many  and 
lovely  commingled : 

Indigo-bird  in  his  luster  of  blueness  was  clearly  unriv- 
aled; 


HARTFORD  15 

Humming-birds  too  with  all  tints  of  the  rain-bow  were 

flitting  in  sun-shine. 
Slowly  but  cheerfully  moved  the  train  of  the  jubilant 

Pilgrims ; 

Catching  sometimes  inspiration  from  songs  of  the  wild- 
erness warblers, 
Loudly  they  sang  as  they  went,  and  rejoiced  in  the 

praise  of  Jehovah. 
Onward  they  went  in  the  shade  of  the  old  trees  giving 

protection, 
Or  in  the  openings  wide  were  exposed  to  the  force  of 

the  sun-beams; — 

Fording  the  streams  or  else  using  extemporized  dan- 
gerous bridges, — 
Braving  the  sands  of  the  uplands, — braving  the  mud  of 

the  valleys, — 
Crossing  the  marshes  on  corduroy  roads  which  tested 

their  patience ; — 
Thus  they  proceeded,  but  halted  for  dinner  an  hour 

before  mid-day. 
Taking  three  hours  for  their  eating  and  resting  and 

feeding  their  cattle, 
Onward  they  moved  in  their  resolute  patience  till  six 

in  the  evening. 
Finding  a  suitable  place  for  the  night,  as  in  yesterday's 

camping, 
Making  a  circle  of  wagons,  and  placing  a  Tent  at  the 

center, 
There  they  assembled  for  service  of  prayer,  for  song 

and  for  sermon  ; — 
Afterwards,  sentinels  posted,  they  soon  were  reposing 

in  slumber. 
Peaceful  the  night ;  and  the  light  of  the  Moon  in  her 

fullness  and  glory, 
Helped  by  the  magical  sound  of  the  Whip-poor- Will's 

note,  was  entrancing. 
Rested,  and  fit  for  another  day's  work,  they  arose  in 

the  morning. 


16  HARTFORD 

Early  the  people  were  moving,  many  beholding  the  sun- 
rise; 

Filled  was  the  area;  joyful,  earnest,  and  solemn  the 
worship ; 

Then  soon  spread  was  the  table ;  and  frugal  the  meal  of 
the  morning. 

Forward  the  Emigrant  wagons  went  straightway  over 
the  wild  waste, 

Setting  example  which  myriads  of  others  have  carefully 
followed ; 

Bright  was  the  day ;  and  the  march  was  at  intervals 
pleasantly  varied. 

Beautiful  wild-flowers  sometimes  gilded  and  gladdened 
the  landscape ; 

Valleys  refreshed  by  streams  oft  tempted  the  Pilgrims 
to  linger; 

But  their  time  was  too  precious  to  waste  in  luxurious 

long  rests. 

Scarcely  the  pioneers  onward  had  started  with  vigi- 
lant caution 

When  they  perceived  with  surprise  in  a  thicket  directly 
before  them, 

Browsing  at  leisure,  some  half  dozen  forms  of  indigen- 
ous red-deer, — 

Seeming  almost  as  if  sent  by  the  special  command  of 
Jehovah 

For  the  support  of  his  People  in  making  their  wilder- 
ness journey. 

Three  of  them  fell  by  the  shots  of  the  hunters,  and  fur- 
nished the  table. 

Noon-tide  resting  afforded  the  requisite  time  for  the 
cooking ; 

Bountiful  feast  then  satisfied  those  who  were  weary  and 

hungry. 

Rested,  hopeful,  and  grateful,  promptly  they  start  at 
the  signal ; 

Afternoon  journey  was   made  with   success   through 
country  more  open, 


HARTFORD  17 

Level,  and  free  from  obstructions  than  what  they  had 
previously  traversed ; 

And,  much  elated,  they  came  to  the  place  of  the  even- 
ing encampment; 

But  a  surprise  came  suddenly  then,  and  disturbed  their 

composure. 

One  of  the  Scouts  from  the  front  came  in  haste  to 
relate  his  adventure, 

And  to  receive  from  those  in  authority  further  instruc- 
tions. 

During  the  day  a  black  bear  had  appeared  in  advance 
of  the  hunters ; 

And  they  had  followed  him  briskly  in  hopes  of  obtain- 
ing a  further 

Means  of  supplying  the  wants  of  the  people  while  mak- 
ing their  hard  march. 

Several  miles  they  had  followed  the  game  when  they 
came  upon  high  ground, 

Whence  looking  forward,  they  saw  with  alarm  at  some 
distance  beyond  them 

Columns  of  smoke  rising  upward  as  if  from  some  town 
or  encampment. 

Leaving  the  wild  beast  then  to  himself,  they  had  cau- 
tiously crept  through 

Swamp  and  forest  till,  reaching  the  top  of  a  hill  further 
onward, 

They  could  plainly  perceive  in  the  valley  a  camp  of  the 
Indians. 

Some  indications  they  saw  that  those  campers  were 
probably  Pequods, 

Hostile  and  dangerous  foes  to  the  Colonies  founded  by 
white  men. 

Quickly  and  silently  then  they  withdrew  to  their  pio- 
neer station, 

Sending  this  comrade  back  to  report  the  bad  news  to 

the  Elders. 

Soon  were  assembled  in  council  the  dignified  band  of 
the  chief  men, 


i8  HARTFORD 

Hearing  the  facts  and  devising  a  plan  in  their  eminent 
prudence 

Which  should  avert  in  this  perilous  crisis  the  threaten- 
ing danger. 

Various  plans  were  proposed  and   discussed;    but    at 
length  it  seemed  wisest 

Urgent  request  for  assistance  to  send  to  their  neighbors 
at  Boston. 

One  of  the  young  men  soon  was  selected  to  carry  the 
message 

Written  with  care,  and  signed  by  each  man  of  the  Gov- 
erning Council. 

Vigorous,  faithful,  and  true,  and  discrete  was  this 
messenger  reckoned; — 

None  more  trusted  than  Theodore  Worthington  went 

with  the  concourse. 

Taking  the  letter  prepared  by  the  Council,  and  wait- 
ing for  nothing, 

Cheerful,  he  started  alone  to  accomplish  his  perilous 
mission. 

When  he  was  quite  out  of  sight,  then  the  meal  of  the 
evening  was  taken ; 

Manifold  duties  pertaining  to  camp  were  neglected  no 
longer ; 

Due  preparation  was  made  for  the  Sabbath  beginning 

at  sun-down. 

Ere  the  first  star  in  the  twilight  appeared,  they  as- 
sembled for  worship, — 

Praising  the  Lord  for  his  goodness,  and  mingling  their 
prayers  for  protection, 

Craving  God's  blessing  to  rest  on  the  messenger  lately 
departed, — 

Asking  for  wisdom  and  grace  from  above  to  assist  their 
endeavors, — 

Praying  for  strength  to  resist  in  the  perilous  hour   of 
temptation. 

Words  of  encouragement  happily  fell  from  the  lips  of 
the  Elders; 


HARTFORD  19 

Strong  in  their  faith,  they  were  edified  much  by  the 

words  of  the  Bible. 
Then  were  they  able  in  calmness  to  rest  through  the 

hours  of  the  dark  night, — 
Rising,  refreshed,  ere  the  sun  in  the  east  reappeared  in 

his  glory. 
Works  of  necessity  done, — catechetical  questioning 

over, — 

All  were  assembled  in  due  time — seated  in  regular  or- 
der,— 
Ready  to  hear  the  instruction,  adapted  expressly  to  that 

time, 

Which  they  expected,  not  vainly,  from  Hooker,  the  vig- 
ilant Pastor. 
Rev'rently  offered  at  first  was  a  fervent,  but  short, 

invocation 
While  the  good  people  were  standing  in  attitude  fit  for 

devotion ; 
Then  came  a  Lesson,  impressive  and  grand,  from  the 

writings  of  Moses, 
Showing  the  dealings  of  God  with  his  People  while 

crossing  the  Red-sea. 
Solemnly  then  with  impressive  and  tuneful  accord  rose 

the  voices, 
Many  and  strong,  of  that  earnest  and  warmly  devout 

congregation 
Singing  a  Psalm  of  David,  the  King  and  the  Prophet  of 

Israel. 

Prominent  there  were  the  voices  of  two  of  the  beau- 
tiful maidens, 
Abigail  Sumner  the  elder, — the  younger  one  Talitha 

Mansfield. 
Abigail's  brother,   too,   Lemuel,   rivaled  his   sister  in 

singing;— 
Friend  and  companion  was  he  to  Worthington  lately 

departed. 
After  the  singing  the  prayer  of  the  Pastor  was  long 

and  impassioned, — 


20  HARTFORD 

Pleading  for  grace  and  direction,  pleading  for  wisdom 
and  patience, — 

Pleading  for  blessings  adapted  to  all  the  needs  of  the 
people. 

Then  tuned  the  singers  another, — that  wonderful  psalm 
of  the  Prophet, 

Saying  "The  Lord  is  my  rock  and  my  fortress,"  "my 
horn  of  salvation." 

Afterwards  followed  the  sermon  by  Hooker,  the  won- 
derful preacher. 

Equal  to  all  the  demands  of  the  hour,  he  spoke  warm- 
ly and  wisely, — 

Giving  advice  and  encouragement  such  as  was  most  of 
all  needed ; 

Raising  the  hopes  and  allaying  the  fears  of  the  weak 
and  despairing, — 

Urging  to  prudence    and    caution    and    patience    the 
stronger  and  bolder, — 

Warmly  exhorting  to  trust  in  the  Lord  in  performance 
of  duty, — 

Making  the  forest  resound  with  the  tones  of  his  elo- 
quent thunder; — 

Bravely  he  grappled,  and  solved  with  success,  the  great 
problem  before  him. 

After  the  Sermon,  and  singing  again,  came  the  long 

benediction. 

Viands  prepared  ere  the  Sabbath  began  served  the 
people  for  dinner ; 

Then  one  hour  was  devoted  to  rest  and  to  grave  conver- 
sation ; — 

Speaking  of  what  seemed  weighty  and  wise  in  the 
words  of  the  Pastor ; — 

Asking  with  unfeigned  kindness  whether  the  sick  were 
improving, — 

Querying  whether  the  teams  would  proceed  on  their 
way  in  the  morning 

Or  would  wait  till  the  messenger  sent  should  return 
with  assistance, — 


HARTFORD  21 

What  should  be  done,  should  his  efforts  at  last  be  found 

unavailing. 

Sound  of  the  conch-shell  signalled  the  time  of  the 
afternoon  service ; 

Promptly  again  were  the  worshipers  ranged  in  the  or- 
der assigned  them, — 

Stone,  the  wise  Teacher,  taking  his  turn  in  the  labor  of 

preaching. 

Seeking  to  call  the  minds  of  his  hearers  away  from 
this  earth-life, 

Brightly  he  painted  the  scenes  of  the  promised  heavenly 
glory,— 

Pleasures  enduring, — so  greatly  transcending  all  happi- 
ness mundane 

As  to  preclude  all  reason  for  halting  in  choosing  be- 
tween them. 

Long  were  the  services, — more  than  would  now  meet 
with  ready  approval ; — 

Great  the  endurance  our  fathers  displayed  in  their  Sab- 
bath-day "resting"! 

Soon  disappearing  the  sun  in  the  west,  and  thick 
darkness  approaching, 

Sentinels  posted,  and  Camp  made  secure  from  surprise 
in  the  night-time, 

Council  of  Elders  convened  to  decide  upon  plans  for 
the  morrow. 

Rain  would  probably  come  before  morning,  hind'ring 
their  progress ; — 

Worthington  could  not  possibly  make  his  return  before 
Tuesday ; — 

Possible  news  from  the  front  might  indicate  danger  in 
moving ; — 

Better  conditions  than  usual  favored  their  present  en- 
campment ; — 

All  were  agreed  that  'twas  best,  at  least  for  a  day,  to 
remain  there. 

Trusting  and  hopeful,  they  went  to  their  rest ;  and  quiet 
their  slumbers. 


22  HARTFORD 

Copious  rain  fell  during  the  night ;  and  dark  was  the 
morning ; 

But  there  came  from  the  front  a  messenger  bringing 
good  tidings; 

Hunters  again  had  approached  the  place  of  the  Indian 
Lodges, 

And  had  perceived  that  the  warriors  there  were  already 
in  motion, 

Moving  to  southward,  carrying  game  they  had  taken  in 
hunting, 

Burning  their  huts,  thus  making  it  evident  they  were 

departing. 

Great  the  rejoicing  these  tidings  produced  in  the 
camp  of  the  white-men ; 

Gathered  again  was  the  Council  of  Elders,  elated  and 
gladsome, 

Ready  to  act  as  God  in  his  Providence  seemed  to  be 
leading. 

No  reinforcements  now  were  required ;  and  all  of  them 
thought  best 

Straight  to  withdraw  the  request  they  had  sent  to  their 
brethren  in  Boston. 

Lemuel  Sumner  soon  was  selected  to  carry  the  mes- 
sage ; 

And  before  evening  he  had  departed  with  joyful  assur- 
ance. 

Darkness  of  morning  was  followed  by  brightness  and 
glory  at  evening ; 

Eastward,  adorning  the  sky,  was  the  arch  of  the  beau- 
tiful rain-bow ; 

Westward  the  sun  unobscured  shone  brilliant  and  fair 
at  his  setting ; 

All  in  the  camp  were  rejoicing  except  the  two  radiant 
maidens, 

Intimate   friends   they,  Abigail   Sumner  and   Talitha 
Mansfield. 

Talitha,  early  in  childhood  afflicted,  bereft  of  her  par- 
ents, 


HARTFORD  23 

Found  an  asylum  and  fostering  care  in  the  house  of  the 
Sumners ; 

And  in  the  bliss  of  a  faithful  affection  she  lived  with 

her  true  friend. 

Rumor  was  rife  that  Worthington  had  for  this  Tali- 
tha  Mansfield 

More  than  the  common  regard  of  a  neighborly  casual 
friendship ; 

Hence  it  was  thought  that  her  evident  grief  at  the  time 
of  his  absence 

Clearly  betokened  the  fact  of  reciprocal  tender  emo- 
tions. 

Abigail  Sumner  felt  anxious  of  course  for  the  fate  of 
her  brother 

Going  alone  in  the  dark  through  the  wilderness  dismal 
and  howling, 

Traversed  by  bears  and  by  panthers  and  wolves,  and  in- 
fested by  Indians. 

Readily,  then,  could  the  maidens  sympathize  each  with 
the  other  ; 

And,  from  the  wagons  a  little  retired,  they  mingled 

their  weeping. 

Nothing  requiring  delay,  on  the  morrow  the  Emi- 
grants journeyed ; 

But  they  proceeded  with  moderate  speed,  and  with  cir- 
cumspect caution, 

Making  a  limited  progress,  and  camping  again  before 
night-fall. 

Here  was  herbage  enough,  and  water  for  men  and  for 
cattle ; 

But  there  was  scarcely  a  thing  to  be  found  for  the  pur- 
pose of  fuel. 

Hence  in  the  morning  they  started  again  without  wait- 
ing for  breakfast, — 

Finding  ere  long  an  abundance  of  wood  and  of  water 
and  forage. 

Here  they  remained  till  the  after-noon  sun  was  already 
descending ; 


24  HARTFORD 

Then,  going  forward,  they  came  to  the  station  selected 

for  night-camp, 
And  had  made  for  the  day  an  advance  of  only  a  few 

miles. 
When  all  affairs  of  the  Camp  were  arranged,  and 

when  supper  was  over, 
Signal  was  given  for  meeting  for  usual  prayer  at  the 

center ; 

And  with  alacrity  came  all  the  worshiping  people  to- 
gether. 
Praises  were  mingled  with  prayers;  and  comforting 

words  were  there  spoken  ; 
Fervent  petitions  were  specially  offered  for  messengers 

absent, 
And  for  their  speedy  return  to  their  friends  who  were 

anxiously  waiting. 
Cordial  greetings  and  mutual  blessings  came  after  the 

service, 
Showing  the  warmth  of  the  brotherly  love  that  united 

the  people ; 
Then  to  their  rest  for  the  night  they  retired,  and  were 

buried  in  slumber. 
Brightly  the  morning  had  dawned ;  and  the  pilgrims 

with  confidence  cheerful 

Made  themselves  ready  for  marching,  but  tarried  a  lit- 
tle for  breakfast, 
And  were  yet  at  the  table  when  into  their  presence  came 

Sumner, 
Wearied,  and  haggard,  and  pale,  and  looking  especially 

anxious. 
"Why  do  you  thus  come  alone?    and  what  are  the 

tidings  you  bring  us? 
Why  is  your  countenance  sad  ?  and  why  is  Worthington 

not  here?" 
Such  were  the  queries  that  met  him  at  once  as  he 

stood  in  confusion 
Looking  around  as  if  seeking  for  some  one  not  present 

before  him. 


HARTFORD  25 

"Has  not,  then,  Worthington  come?"  said  the  mes- 
senger, visibly  trembling ; 

"If  he  has  not  yet  arrived,  I  can  tell  you  no  cause  for  his 
absence. 

Possibly  yet  he  will  come  pretty  soon,  and  explain  all 
his  movements ; — 

Now  let  the  Council  assemble;  and  I  will  report  my 

proceedings." 

Soon  were  assembled  apart  all  the  members  compos- 
ing the  Council, 

Eager  to  hear  the  Report,  but  embarrassed  with  grave 
apprehensions. 

Sumner  then  told  them  his  story  in  order  with  careful 

minuteness. 

Starting  on  Monday,  he  journeyed  till  Tuesday  late 
in  the  evening, — 

Finding  'in   Boston  that  Worthington   had   his   men 
ready  for  marching. 

Having  delivered  his  message,  the  men  were  dismissed 
with  great  pleasure ; 

And  'twas  arranged  to  return  to  the  Camp  on  the  fol- 
lowing morning. 

Sumner  remained  over  night  with  a  former  acquaint- 
ance in  Boston, 

Worthington  going  to  stay  with  a  friend  of  his  living 

at  Newtown. 

Standing  a  half-mile  out  of  this  Town  on  the  route 
of  the  pilgrims, 

Forming  a  prominent  land-mark,  stood  a  magnificent 
Oak-tree. 

Here  the  two  men  had  agreed  to  meet  in  the  morning 
at  sun-rise; — 

Sumner  was  there  at  the  time ;  but  Worthington  made 
no  appearance. 

Waiting  a  little,  and  thinking  his  friend  by  some  chance 
was  o'ersleeping, 

Sumner  went  back  to  inquire  at  the  house  of  his  lodg- 
ing at  Newtown, 


26  HARTFORD 

And   was   assured   that    Worthington    promptly   had 

started  in  due  time, 
Saying  that  he  was  to  keep  his  appointment  strictly  at 

sun-rise. 
Hearing  this,,  Sumner  returned  to  the  Tree,  where  he 

waited  a  long  time, 
Thinking  the  other  had  strayed  from  the  path  in  the 

fog  of  the  morning, 
And  would  come  to  the  Tree  after  wand'ring  a  while 

in  the  forest; 
Possibly  though,  should  he  come  quite  late  to  the  road 

further  onward, 
He  would  proceed  to  the  Camp  without  waiting  to  find 

his  companion. 
Reasoning  thus,  and  then  carving  his  name  with  a  knife 

on  the  tree-trunk, 
Sumner  had  left  the  place  sadly,  and  followed  the  trail 

of  the  wagons. 
This  was  his  story ;  and  Councilors  heard  it  with 

grief  and  misgivings. 
Soon  they  determined  to  send  a  Commission  to  search 

for  the  absent 
Messenger ;  and   they    selected   three    men    the    most 

trusted  and  worthy, 

Urging  them  straight  to  depart,  and  investigate  every- 
thing fully, — 

Making  Report  of  the  facts  at  the  earliest  possible  mo- 
ment. 
Less  than  three  hours  had  elapsed  ere  the  men  were 

pursuing  their  journey. 
Rumor  had  recently  spread  in  the  Camp  that  Sumner 

was  also 
Greatly  enamored,  and  seeking  the  hand  of  fair  Talitha 

Mansfield ; — 
Hence  it  appeared  that  these  young  men  were  in  verity 

rivals, 
And  that  their  seeming  friendship  was  only  a  politic 

feigning. 


HARTFORD  27 

Then  there  quickly  developed  a  gen'ral  and  lively  sus- 
picion 

That  the  returning  lover  had  murdered  his  rival  com- 
panion. 

Hindered   so  long  by  events  of  the   morning,  the 
Council  thought  not  best 

Now  to  remove  the  Camp  till  after  partaking  of  dinner. 

That  being  over,  and  everything  ready  as  usual  for 
moving, 

Forward  the  caravan  went,  and  made  a  good  after-noon 
progress. 

Nothing  occurred  on  the  way  that  seemed  specially 
worthy  of  record 

Saving  that  near  the  place  they  selected  for  evening  en- 
campment 

Sassafras  trees  were  discovered,  whose  wholesome  and 
delicate  fragrance, 

New  to  the  people,  astonished  them  all,  and  was  reck- 
oned delightful. 

Greatly  esteemed  for  reputed  medicinal  virtues  inher- 
ent, 

This  was  the  first  of  American  products  composing  a 
Cargo 

Taken  to  Europe  in  one  of  the  ships  of  commercial  ad- 
venture. 

Friday  they  followed  all  day  the  course  of  a  beautiful 
river, 

Joyfully  making  their  Camp  for  the  night  on  its  flowery 
margin, — 

Joyful,  all  but  the  Sumners  and  generous  Talitha  Mans- 
field. 

Here  they  gladly  replenished  their  stock  of  provisions 
by  fishing; — 

Here  too  one  of  the  rashly  adventurous  boys  in  his 
bathing 

Plunged  into  water  too  deep,  and  hardly  was  rescued 
from  drowning. 


28  HARTFORD 

Two  of  the  boys,  named  William  and  John,  were  full 
of  acumen, 

Restless,  and  busy  from  morning  to  night  in  action  of 

some  kind. 

Keenly  alert,  they  noticed  in  passing  whatever  un- 
usual 

Species  of  tree  or  shrub  or  flower  the  country  afforded. 

Once  they  discovered  the  Benzoin  shrub,  the  favorite 
Spice-wood, 

Pleasantly  fragrant,  and  reckoned  a  sovereign  specific 
for  fevers ; — 

Also  they  found  the  Calamus  root,  now  christened  the 
Sweet-flag, — 

And  were  especially  pleased  when  they  met  with  the 
beautiful  shining 

Winter-green  leaves,  with  the  luscious  scarlet  berries 

commingled. 

Crossing  a  swamp,  they  saw  with  surprise  and  hast- 
ened to  gather 

Curious    Side-saddle   flowers,   with    their     wonderful 
pitchers  of  water, — 

Pitchers  that  rival  in  graceful  design  the  most  elegant 

Greek  Vase. 

Finding  one  day  as  they  wandered  together  a  plant 
they  had  never 

Seen,  they  laughed  at  its  form ;  and  then,  pulling  it  up, 
they  examined 

Quickly  the  bulbous  root  that  seemed  almost  like  a 
turnip. 

Each  of  them  tasting  the  root,  they  were  pleased  at  first 
with  its  sweetness ; 

But  ere  a  minute  had  passed  they  began  to  revise  their 
opinions ! 

As  on  the  African  plains  two  sprightly  and  nimble  Ga- 
zelles, when 

Lion  approaches,  intending  to  take  one  of  them  for  his 
dinner, 


HARTFORD  29 

Suddenly  leap  simultaneous,  bounding  away  in  their 
terror, 

Leaving  the  foe  far  behind,  and  outstripping  the  wind 
in  their  flying, 

So  these  venturesome  youths,  impelled  by  a  common 
emotion, 

Suddenly  start  for  the  point  where  soonest  they  might 
obtain  water, — 

Racing    superbly,  —  rivaling    famous    "swift-footed 
Achilles,"— 

Reach  at  same  moment  the  river,  and  hurl  themselves 
into  the  channel ! 

Filling  and  rinsing  their  mouths  with  water, — repeat- 
ing the  process 

Over  and  over  again, — they  finally  ventured  to  test 
their 

Powers  of  expression,  and  tried  to  set  forth  their  can- 
did opinion, 

Saying  the  thing  they  had  tasted  exceeded  in  fiery 
venom 

Even  the  most  concentrated  essence  of  African  Pep- 
per! 

Never  again  did  they  hanker  to  taste  of  the  Indian 

Turnip! 

Afterwards,  walking  together  alone,  they  encoun- 
tered a  smallish 

Animal  which  to  them  seemed  very  much  indeed  to 
resemble 

Household  cats,  those  favorite  pets   so   familiar   in 
England; — 

Black  with  a  beautiful  stripe  of  white  on  his  back  was 
the  creature; 

But  when  they  came  quite  near  him,  they  thought  his 
breath  was  like  garlic ; — 

Stronger  in  fact,  two  to  one,  did  it  seem  than  both 
garlic  and  onions! 

When  they  returned  to  the  Camp,  all  the  people  were 
visibly  troubled, 


30  HARTFORD 

Saying  the  boys  had  brought  the  breath  of  the  beast 
in  their  clothing! 

Going,  then,  out  from  the  Camp,  and  washing  their 
clothing  a  few  times, 

Finally  they  were  permitted  to  enter  the  presence  of 

others. 

Searching  one  day  for  "greens"  in  a  swamp,  they 
presently  saw  there, 

Thriftily  growing,   a  cabbage-like   plant   which   they 
fondly  imagined 

Finely  would  serve  their  purpose  for  dinner  and  sup- 
per and  breakfast; 

But  when  they  broke  the  leaves  and  the  stalk,  they 
found  that  the  odor 

Equaled  the  breath  of  the  "pussy"  they  met  with  be- 
fore in  the  forest! 

Walking  one  day  in  the  woods,  they  came  near  to 
the  nest  of  a  Partridge, 

But  were  persuaded  to  follow  the   seemingly   poor 
wounded  bird  that 

Fluttered  away  on  the  ground  just  a  very  short  dis- 
tance before  them; 

Yet  when  they  thought  themselves  certainly  almost 
ready  to  seize  it, 

Strangely  the  wounded  and  fluttering  Partridge  ap- 
peared to  recover, — 

Rose  in  the  air  with  vigorous  wings,  and  with  wonder- 
ful whirring 

Left  them  astonished,  and  vanished  completely  from 

sight  in  the  distance! 

Pois'nous  bane-berry  plant  they  mistook  for  Sar- 
saparilla, 

Just  as  others  much  older  than  they  have  done  in 
times  later; — 

Once  they  were  terribly  frightened  by  croaking  of 
Frogs  in  the  marshes ; — 

Very  excusably  so   in  opinion  of  people  of  Wind- 
ham  ; — 


HARTFORD  31 

Afterwards  barely  they  missed  of  attacking  a  ravenous 
Panther; 

And  still  later  they  tried  to  capture  a  nest  full  of  Hor- 
nets ! 

Boys  such  as  these  in  following  years  became  vig- 
orous worthy 

Ancestors  famous  of  men  like  valorous  General  Put- 
nam. 

Saturday,  crossing  the  River,  and  finding  but  little 
obstruction, 

Forward  the  Emigrants  went,  and  made  more  than 
their  usual  advancement. 

Choosing  the  site  of  their  Sabbath-day's  Camp  in  a 
place  of  convenience, 

Early  they  halted,  and  made  with  due  care  all  the 

proper  arrangements. 

Sunday  the  services  solemn  afforded  a  fitting  occa- 
sion 

Strongly  to  urge  on  the  people  the  duty  of  Charity, — 
foremost, — 

Chief  of  the  Graces, — that  suffereth  long, — and  that 
thinketh  no  evil. 

Languid  the  singing,  for  some  of  the  heretofore  prom- 
inent voices. 

Silenced  by  grief,  could  not  venture  to  mingle  at  all 

in  the  chorus. 

Scarcely  the  afternoon  service  was  done  when  the 
sentinel  watching 

Saw  in  the  distance  three  men  who  appeared  without 
doubt  to  be  coming. 

Could  the  Commission  have  finished  their  work  and 
their  journey  so  promptly? 

Or  were  the  men,  in  the  distance  approaching,  more 

probably  strangers? 

Waiting  a  while  in  suspense,  the  people  received  the 
assurance 

That  the  Commissioners  were  in  reality  rapidly  com- 
ing. 


32  HARTFORD 

Presently  then  were  the  Council  assembled,  and  ready 

to  meet  them. 

Soon  they  arrived,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  report 
to  the  Council. 

Starting-  on  Tuesday,  they  halted  in  Boston  ere  day- 
light on  Wednesday; — 

Sleeping  a  little,  and  making  inquiries,  proceeded  to 
Newtown, 

Finding  the  house  where  Worthington  slept,  and  get- 
ting responses, — 

Then  they  proceeded  to  visit  the  Oak-tree, —  promi- 
nent land-mark, — 

Where  they  examined  the  name  quite  recently  carved 

on  the  tree-trunk. 

Up  to  this  point  they  found  all  the  facts  were  as 
stated  by  Sumner; 

Then  with  a  band  of  assistants  they  entered  on  vigor- 
ous searching. 

Placing  themselves  on  a  radius  line  from  the  tree 
as  a  center, 

Standing  at  uniform  distances  one  from  another  of  ten 
feet, 

Wheeling  to  left  then,  and  marching  in  regular  circles 
concentric, 

Scanning  each  foot  of  the  ground  as  they  passed,  they 
completed  the  circuit. 

Doubling  the  length  of  the  radius,  standing  upon  it  in 
order. 

Wheeling  again  to  the  left,  they  circuited  back  to  their 
stations. 

Thus  they  proceeded  till,  half  a  mile  north  of  the 
Tree,  they  discovered 

Something  exceedingly  gruesome  and  horribly  shock- 
ing to  mention. 

There  were  the  bones  of  a  man  whom  the  wolves 
had  but  recently  eaten, —  ^ 

Scattered  and  gnawed,  and  stripped  of  the  flesh,  and 
some  of  them  broken, — 


HARTFORD  33 

Frightful  to  see,  and  filling  each  man  who    beheld 
them  with  horror! 

Nothing  remained  of  the  clothing,  not  even  the  scant- 
iest fragment; 

But  in  a  neighboring  nook  was  a  handkerchief  quietly 
lying, 

Showing  initials,  a  T.  and  a  W.  marked  in  the  corner, — 

Neatly  embroidered   by    hands    that    were    certainly 

skillful  in  such  work. 

Known  was  the  fact  that  Worthington  recently  car- 
ried a  like  one; 

Hence  they  concluded  the  bones  were  those  of  the 
messenger  missing, 

Who  had  been  killed  by  the  wolves,  or  murdered  and 
left  for  their  feasting; — 

Absence  of  clothing  appeared  to  sustain  this  last  sup- 
position. 

Gath'ring  the  bones,  they  carried  them  quickly  and 
safely  to  Newtown, 

Buried  them  there,  and  carefully  marked  the  place  of 
interment. 

Then  they  returned  in  great  sadness,  bringing  the 

handkerchief  with  them. 

Greatly  disturbed,  then  the  Council  straight  called 
the  Assembly  together, 

Gave  the  Report  without  change  to  the  people,  and 
showed  them  the  hand-cloth, — 

Asking  if  any  had  facts  to  present  that  would  lead  to 
conclusions 

Other  than  those  the  Commission  with  sorrow  and 

pain  had  adopted. 

Then  arose  Talitha  Mansfield  and  said  the  Com- 
mision  had  wrongly 

Based  their  decision  on  facts  that  were  not,  and  could 
not  be,  proven ; — 

Certainly  this  was  not  the  handkerchief  Worthington 
carried; — 


34  HARTFORD 

That  was  a  cloth  of  a  different  texture  entirely  from 

this  one; — 
Diff'rent    the    style    of   the    letters    that    her   hands 

wrought  in  the  corner; — 
She  had  made  handkerchiefs  similar  quite,  and  just  at 

the  same  time, 
Giving  to  Worthington  one,  and  the  other  to  Lemuel 

Sumner; — 
If  they  would  only  compare  this  last  with  the  one  they 

had  brought  back, 
Plainly  they'd  see  in  the  two  things  not  only  diff'rence 

but  contrast. 
Then  they  examined  the  handkerchief  carried  as 

usual  by  Sumner, 
Finding  it  not  like  the  one  they  had  brought  from  the 

forest  at  Newtown. 
Great  the  perplexity  then  of  the  people,  and  much 

did  they  wonder 
Whether  the  Worthington  bones  had  been  gathered 

and  buried  in  sadness. 
Welcoming  earliest  rays  of  the  morning,  anxiously 

hopeful, 

Every  one  promptly  discharging  the  duties  incum- 
bent upon  him, 

Early  the  Colonists  waited  the  usual  signal  for  march- 
ing- 
Onward  they  went,  and  ere  night  made  more  than  a 

common  day's  journey. 
Next  day,  briskly  alert,  they  moved  with  success 

even  greater; 
And  on  the  third  they  halted  in  sight  of  Connecticut 

River. 

Then  began  murmuring; — many  the  words  of  com- 
plaint and  repining; 
"Were  we  not  told  the  Connecticut  Valley  was  won- 

drously  fertile, — 
Grassy  and  flowery  and  loamy,  and  free  from  all  sorts 

of  obstructions, 


HARTFORD  35 

Ready  to  yield  to  the  settler  abundant  returns  for  his 
labor? 

Now  that  we've  reached  it,  see  what  is  the  real  and 
present  condition! 

Sandy  and  barren, — encumbered  with  trees,  and  worth 

nothing  for  culture!" 

So  were  the  people  discouraged;  and  some  of  them 
bitterly  anxious, 

Thought  it  were  better  at  once  to  prepare  for  return- 
ing to  Boston. 

Soon  to  the  ears  of  the  Council  were  brought  these 
bitter  complainings; 

But  they  replied  "Not  yet  have  we  entered  the  land 
that  was  promised; 

Yonder  Connecticut  River  is  merely  our  River  of  Jor- 
dan; 

That  we  must  cross;  for  the  beautiful  land  of  our 

hopes  is  beyond  it." 

Here  then  they  rested  a  while;  and  some  of  them, 
climbing  a  tall  tree, 

Viewed  from  a  distance,  like  Moses  of  old  upon  favor- 
ing Pisgah, 

Broadly  extended,  the  land  on  the  opposite  side  of 

the  River. 

Slaughtering  one  of  the  cattle,  the  people  had  beef 
for  a  few  days ; 

Fish  from  the  River  made  delicate  feasting, — especial- 
ly salmon ;  — 

Corn  was  obtained  in  abundance  from  some  of  the  vis- 
iting Indians. 

Comfortable  thus  in  regard  to  provisions,  the  peo- 
ple were  cheerful, 

All  but  the  sorrowing  maidens,  whose  grief  found  but 
little  abatement. 

Worthington  probably  murdered,  and  Sumner  yet  un- 
der suspicion, 

Darkened  their  spirits,  and  left  them  no  relish  for  any 
enjoyment. 


BOOK  II. 

Not  like  the  Jordan  when  Joshua  crossed  was  Con- 
necticut swollen; 

But  it  was  deeper  than  fordable  streams,  and  enor- 
mously wider 
Than  could  be  spanned  by  tentative  amateur  efforts  at 

bridging. 
Boats  there  were  none;  but  soon  'twas  determined 

a  raft  to  construct  there 
Large  enough  safely  to  carry  a  wagon  across  with  its 

loading. 
That  being  finished,  the  cattle  went  over  the  River  by 

swimming; 
Then  each  wagon  was  carried  in  safety  across  on  the 

raft-logs ; 
And  in  like  manner  the  people  went  quietly  over  the 

Ferry. 
Previous  settlers  there  were  but  few,  and  feeble  the 

Hamlet ; 
Much  they  rejoiced  to  see  others  arrive  who  would 

render  it  stronger. 
Gladly  they  welcomed  the  Pilgrims,  and  offered  them 

such  entertainment 
As  their  painfully  straitened  and  close  circumstances 

permitted. 
Broad  was  the  prairie  before  them;  luxuriant  grass 

was  there  waving; 
Beautiful  flowers  intermingled,  abundant,  made  lovely 

the  landscape; 
And  without  doubt  the  country  was  such  as  but  few 

had  imagined. 
Great  the  rejoicing  then  that  arose;  and  with  hearty 

thanksgiving 
Quickly  the  people  spontaneous  met  in  assembly  for 

worship, 

(36) 


HARTFORD  37 

Praising  the  Lord  in  their  prayers  and  their  songs  for 
his  wonderful  goodness. 

Then  they  rested;  and  sweet  was  their  slumber  after 

their  journey. 

Next  day  the  Council  surveyed  the  position,  and 
made  an  assignment 

Proper  and  just  of  land  to  the  families  taken  in  order; 

And  in  this  those  who  had  earlier  located  there  were 
included, — 

Each  one  receiving  two  acres  of  Company  land  for  his 
homestead, — 

Land  that  was  purchased  from  Indian  owners  expelled 

by  the  Pequods. 

Then  each  man  repaired  to  his  homestead  with  oxen 
and  wagon. 

First  in  the  order  of  work  was  the  plowing  and  plant- 
ing of  gardens, — 

Making  provision  as  far  as  they  might  for  the  coming 
of  Winter; — 

Next  they  constructed  slight  booths  that  might  serve 
for  shade  and  for  shelter; 

Then  they  proceeded  to  build  themselves  houses  in 
which  they  might  tarry 

During  the  rigorous  cold  of  the  terrible  season  ap- 
proaching. 

Pushing  this  work,  they  labored  in  several  regular 
sections; 

Five  men,  giving  their  strength  and  their  teams,  built 
easily  one  house, 

Then  constructed  another,  and  others  in  rapid  succes- 
sion, 

Till  they  had  finished  a  house  for  each  man  of  the 
laboring  section. 

All  then  united  to  build    what    should    serve    for   a 

Church  and  a  school-house. 

Great  was  the  work;  for  the  timber  was  cut  in  the 
far  distant  forest, — 


38  HARTFORD 

Hewn  with  the  ax,  or  split  with  wooden  beetle  and 
wedges, — 

Drawn  from  the  woods  by  oxen  slow  to  the  place  of 
each  building, — 

Then  put  together  in  rough,  and  fastened  with  cum- 

berous  tree-nails. 

Scant  was  material    for   building;  great    ingenuity 
therefore 

Helped  the  new-comers  in  use  of  numerous  primitive 
methods. 

Walls  were  made  of  hewn  logs,  and  sometimes  logs 
without  hewing; 

Even  turf  in  some  cases  supplied  the  deficit  of  lumber 

Wooden  latches  and  hinges  were  almost  the  only  ones 
used  there; 

Long  coarse  grass  and  wild  reeds  were  often  conven- 
ient for  thatching; 

Mortar  untempered  was  also  hastily  dug  from  the 
clay-beds ; — 

Not  for  the  laying  of  brick  and  of  stone,  but  for  plas- 
tering side-walls, — 

Stopping  of  holes,  and  filling  the  chinks  of  the  crook- 
ed and  rough  logs. 

Shingles  were  largely  prepared    from    the    primitive 
timber  by  using 

Cross-cut  saw,  and  the  ax,  and  the  beetle,  the  fro,  and 
the  draw-knife; 

Thongs  from  the  untanned  skins  of  the  animals  killed 
in  their  hunting 

Served  for  other  and  various  family  use,  and  for  latch- 
strings. 

Windows  of  glass  were  a  later  and  costly  convenience 
of  Hartford. 

Wells  were  not  dug ;  but  they  welcomed  the  water  ob- 
tained from  the  River. 

Late  in  the   Fall  the  Church  was  complete,   and 
ready  for  using. 


HARTFORD  39 

Solemn  the  service,  and  simple  the  rites  of  the  Church 

dedication ; 
But  at  the  close  the  Pastor  requested  the  people  to 

tarry 
While  they  should  hear  a  strange  and  very  surprising 

announcement. 
Then  he  related  that  one  of  the  neighboring  people 

of  Windsor, 
Visiting  him   had    identified  fully  the  handkerchief 

brought  back 
By  the  Commissioners  when  they  returned  from  the 

forest  at  Newtown. 
This  man,  Taylor  by  name,  and  formerly  living  at 

Plymouth, 
Said  that  the  handkerchief  surely   belonged    to   one 

Timothy  Winthrop ; — 
That  the  initials  set  in  the  corner  were  wrought  by  his 

sister; — 
That  he  had  seen  them  while  she  was  doing  them,  and 

at  her  dictate 

He  had  presented  the  handkerchief,  when  it  was  fin- 
ished, to  Winthrop; — 
That  at  the  end  of  May  this  Winthrop  had  visited 

Newtown, 
But  had  never  returned,  and  that  people  supposed  he 

was  murdered. 
Taylor  then  rose  and  confirmed  to  the  people  what 

Hooker  had  stated, 
Making  request  that  the  handkerchief  should  be  sent 

to  his  sister. 
All  were  agreed  that  this  should  be  done ;    and  soon 

by  returning 
Vessel  the  article  went  on  its  sorrowful  journey  to 

Plymouth. 
Now  the  Commission  admitted  that  probably  they 

were  mistaken 
Thinking  that  Worthington's  bones  were  found  in  the 

forest  at  Newtown; 


40  HARTFORD 

And  they  remembered  that,  being  in  haste,  they  neg- 
lected to  measure 

Such  of  the  bones  as  would  show  the  stature  of  him 
they  belonged  to. 

Hence  they  determined  again  to  go  back  and  investi- 
gate further, 

And  the  visiting  neighbor  from  Windsor  agreed  to  go 
with  them. 

Worthington,  tall  and  athletic,  stood  six  feet  two  in 
his  stockings; 

Winthrop,  however,  as  Taylor  averred,  was  half  a  foot 

shorter. 

When  they  had  measured  the  bones,  they  found 
them  fully  agreeing 

With  the  stature  of  Winthrop,  but  not  with  that  of  the 
other. 

Hence,  then,  at  last   it    was     certainly    known    that 
Worthington's  relics 

Thus  far  had  not  been  found;  and  the  mystery  seemed 

to  grow  deeper. 

Taylor  then,  taking  the  bones,  conveyed  them  safe- 
ly to  Plymouth, 

Where  they  were  buried  by  friends  in  the  place  of 
their  permanent  resting. 

Having    completed    this   work,    the    Commissioners 
turned  their  steps  homeward, 

Carefully  searching  the  route  for  remains,  but  finding 
no  traces. 

Faintly  glimmering  hope  survived  in  the  hearts  of  the 
maidens ; 

But  the  mass  of  the  people  believed  that  never  would 
any 

Tidings  be  heard  of  the  man  who  had  suddenly  van- 
ished so  strangely. 

Following  custom,  the  people  at  first  called  their 
settlement  New-town, — 

Naming  it  after  the  town  from  which  they  had  lately 
departed. 


HARTFORD  41 

Soon,  however,  they  found  themselves  weary  of  this 
appellation; 

And  as  Cotton  was  specially  honored  in  naming  of 
Boston, 

So  they  determined  to  honor  their  well-beloved  dili- 
gent Teacher,  , 

Samuel  Stone,  who  had  come  from  the  beautiful  Hart- 
ford in  England. 

Fittingly,  then,  they  called  their  beautiful  settlement 

Hartford. 

Planting  was  late,  and  small  in  amount;  but  the 
soil,  being  fertile, 

Yielded  enough  to  prevent  all  fear  of  approaching 

starvation. 

Not  then,  as  later,  was  maize  the  principal  crop  of 
the  farmer; 

But  for  roasting  or  boiling  while  yet  it  was  tender  and 
unripe, 

And  for  the  making  with  green  beans  Succotash  dur- 
ing the  autumn, 

"Indian  Corn"  was  in  favor,  and  thought  to  be  fitted 
for  gardens. 

This,  then,  they  gathered,  and  boiled,  and  dried  by  the 
fire-side,  and  stored  up, 

Though  for  the  corn  to  be  ripened  the  time  was  by 
many  weeks  too  short. 

Chiefly,  however,  for  grain  they  were  fain  to  rely  up- 
on Buck-wheat, 

Which  had  easily  come  to  maturity  during  October. 

This,  when  harvested,  thrashed  with  the  flail  on  the 
smooth  level  bare  ground, 

Winnowed  in  North-wind,  pounded  in  mortars,  and 
sifted  with  patience, 

Furnished  a  flour  from  which  they  had  food  both  pleas- 
ant and  wholesome. 

Wheat  and  Rye  were  sown  in  the  hope  of  a  harvest 
for  next  year. 


42  HARTFORD 

Not  to  the  use  of  Potatoes  were  people  of  that  time 
accustomed ; 

But  they  had  Turnips  and  Beets  and  Cabbage  and 
Squashes  and  Pumpkins 

Added  to  Melons  and  Radishes,  Peas,  and  Beans  in 
abundance, — 

All  of  which  grew  and  were  gathered  before  the  end 

of  the  season. 

Sage,  Coriander,  and  Caraway,   Dill,  and   Fennel 
were  planted, 

Chiefly  to  serve  as  reminders  of  England,  but  also  for 
Spices; 

And  a  few  Marygolds,  Pansies,  and  Blue-bells,  served 
to  embellish 

Patches  of  ground  that  were  afterwards  carefully  closed 

in  as  door-yards. 

Coffee  and  Tea  were  yet  unknown  to  these  primi- 
tive settlers: 

But  they  sometimes  used  a  decoction  of  Sage,  or  of 
other 

Herbs  aromatic,  and  often  of  Sassafras-root  for  their 
drinking. 

Also  they  largely  made  use  of  a  home-made  fermented 
small-beer 

Brewed  from  roots  and  plants  that  were  thought  to  be 
wholesome  and  healing. 

Sometimes  meat  was  by  hunting  and  fishing  by  colo- 
nists gathered; 

Yet  was  oftener  game  from  the  Indians  by  Colonists 
purchased. 

Industry  almost  incredible  left  no  time  for  amuse- 
ments. 

Harvests  were  carefully  gathered,  and  fuel  prepared 
for  the  winter, 

Only  a  few  improvident  ones  neglecting  the  wood- 
pile. 

Then  they  appointed  a  day  of  rejoicing,  of  grate- 
ful Thanksgiving 


HARTFORD  43 

For  the  numerous  manifest  tokens  of  Heavenly  favor 

Which  had  pursued  them  from  first  to  last  in  their 
wilderness  sojourn. 

Early  assembled,  they  worshiped  with  zeal  that  was 
earnest  and  heart-felt, 

Humble  and  penitent,  praising  the  Lord  for  his  won- 
derful goodness. 

Hooker  set  forth  in  his  eloquent  words  their  tem- 
poral blessings, — 

Dwelling  with  emphasis  much  on  the  quieting  joyful 
prospect 

That  from  painful  journeyings  now  they  were  finally 
resting, — 

Noting  the  wonderful  contrast,  strange  and  lamenta- 
bly solemn, 

When  their  lot  was  compared  with  the  terrible  fate  of 
their  neighbors, 

Dorchester  Company,  largely  their  friends  and  famil- 
iar acquaintance, 

Equal  or  greater  in  numbers  than  theirs,  and  great  in 
resources, 

Who  in  the  previous  year  had  attempted  to  settle  at 
Windsor. 

Trusting  their  goods  to  the  treacherous  round-about 
transit  by  water, 

All  had  been  wrecked,  and,  having  been  forced  to  re- 
turn in  the  winter, 

Many  had  lost  their  lives  by  fatigue,  and  by  cold  and 
starvation. 

Also  their  cattle  had  died  of  neglect  in  the  pitiless  sea- 
son. 

Stone  with  eloquence  equal,  recalled  to  the  minds 
of  his  hearers 

What  and  how  great  were  the  Spiritual  blessings  with 
which  they  were  favored, — 

Making  Soul-liberty  chief  of  the  boons  which  their 
God  had  vouchsafed  them, — 


44  HARTFORD 

That  superlative  good  for  which  they  had  fled  from 

their  old  homes, 
And  had  endured  the  manifold  toils  and  privations 

and  dangers 
Of  their  removal  from  far-away  lovely  and  beautiful 

England. 

Earnest  the  songs  of  praise  sent  upward  from  num- 
erous voices, — 
Fervent  the  prayers  that  ascended  for  constant  Divine 

benefaction, — 
Not  of  themselves  alone,  but  mindful  of  him  who  was 

absent. 
After  the  service,  repairing  direct  to  their  several 

homesteads, 
Feasts  they  enjoyed  that  were  spread  with  a  rustic 

but  generous  bounty; 
And  to  these  feasts  in  most  cases  some  genial  guests 

were  invited. 
Yet  they  discovered  that  to  their  happiness  something 

was  wanting. 
Frosty  the  weather;  and  near  was  the  joyful  season  of 

Christmas; 
Yet  great  sadness  and  gloom  was  every  countenance 

wearing, 
Caused  by  uncertainty,  dread,  and  dismal  foreboding 

of  evil. 

Indian  murders  excited  alarm ;  and  Worthington's  ab- 
sence 
Haunted  them  daily,  and  pressed  down  their  souls 

with  perpetual  sorrow. 
Soon  were  they  doomed  to  another  surprise  that 

was  sudden,  and  greater 
Far  than  any  preceding,  and  filled  every  person  with 

wonder: 
During  a  session  of  Council  the   door  was  hastily 

opened; — 
Entered  a  man;  and  there  was  Worthington  standing 

before  them ! 


HARTFORD  45 

After  the  first  salutation,  and  bidding  a  cordial  wel- 
come, 

Straight  the  Councilors  hastened  to  formulate  num- 
erous questions: 

Whence  had  the  Messenger  come?  and  why  so  late 

in  his  coming? 

From  a  most  irksome  and  painful  captivity  with  the 
wild  Indians 

Lately  escaping,  and  traversing  many  a  league  of  the 
pathless 

Wilderness,  weary,  but  thankful,  he  said  he  had  come 
to  their  presence. 

If  on  the  morrow  the  long- waiting  people  would  all 
come  together, 

He  would  endeavor  to  tell  them  his  story  of  perigri- 

nations. 

Then  he  repaired  to  the  home  of  his  friends,  the 
house  of  the  Sumners; 

And  the  Councilors  hastened  to  scatter  the  glad  in- 
formation. 

Next  day  the  people  assembled  immediately  after 
their  dinner; 

And  when  all  had  taken  his  hand  in  their  joyous  greet- 
ing, 

Worthington  told  them  how  he  had  made  his  sorrow- 
ful journey: 

"On  that  beautiful  morning  in  June,  near  the  Oak 
tree  in  Newtown 

Where  I  had  purposed  to  keep  an  appointment  at  sun- 
rise with  Sumner, 

Suddenly  rushed  from  a  thicket,  near  which  I  was 
thoughtlessly  passing, 

Five  grim  Canada  Indians,  armed  to  the  teeth,  and  all 
ready 

Either  to  fight  or  to  perpetrate  murder,  if  aught  should 
provoke  them. 

Seeing  it  perfectly  useless,  I  made  no  show  of  resist- 
ance. 


46  HARTFORD 

Soon  they  had  seized  me, — had  taken  my  knife  and 

my  pistol,  and  bound  me. 

Three  of  them  started  at  once  with  their  prisoner,  in- 
tending to  lead  him 

Far  to  the  North  to  their  homes  in  the  desolate  land  of 
the  Frenchman ; 

And  the  others  returned  to  the  place  of  their  skulking 
and  hiding. 

One  of  them  marched  at  my  right,  and  one  at  my  left 
on  the  journey, 

While  the  remaining  one,  vigilant,  followed  on  closely 
behind  me, 

Each  of  them  holding  a  stout  thong  fastened  securely 
about  me. 

Camping  at  night,  I  was  stretched  on  the  ground,  and 
my  hands  and  my  feet  tied 

Either  to  trees  in  the  forest,  or  stakes  driven  down 

in  the  clear  land. 

Food  rather  scant  was  obtained  every  day  by  the 
hunt  or  by  fishing; 

And  for  this  purpose  one  of  the  men  was  detached 
with  due  caution 

Late  in  the  afternoon  while  others  rested  in  Camp  for 

some  two  hours. 

On  his  return  the    game    was    soon    parted    and 
roasted  and  eaten; 

Then  we  proceeded  while  vestige  remained  of  the  fav- 
oring day-light, — 

Stopping  at  last  for  the  night  in  most  secret  and  quiet 
recesses, 

And  in  the  morning  proceeding  again  a  long  time  be- 
fore sun-rise. 

I  was  allowed  to  partake  of  the  remnants  when  In- 
dians had  feasted, 

Making  up  fires,  and  cooking  myself  the  small  portion 

assigned  me. 

Swamps  and    thickets    avoiding,  we    merely   went 
northward  the  first  day; 


HARTFORD  47 

But  on  the  second  we  found  a  small  stream  that  flowed 
in  a  straight  course 

Almost  exactly  the  way  we  were  going,  as  set  by  a 
compass. 

This  then  we  followed  to  where  it  was  emptied  into  a 
large  stream 

Coming  from  westward,  and  flowing  serenely  to  land 
of  the  morning. 

We  then,  turning  to  westward,  ascended  the  river  a 
whole  day. 

Then  at  its  bend  we  turned  again  to  the  northward  as 
usual; 

Four  days  then    we  ascended    the  stream,  but  then 
turned  to  the  north-west 

Up  the  rough  valley  of  one  of  its  branches  on-pushing 

for  one  day. 

Crossing  a  ridge,  we  then  came  to  a  beautiful  river 
from  north-east; 

Upward  the  valley  of  this  we  ascended  with  weariness 
nine  days; 

Then  with  much  labor  surmounting  a  ridge,  we  came 
to  a  small  stream 

Winding  its  sinuous  course  through  valleys  and  for- 
ests all  gloomy. 

Following  this  for  a  week,  we  came  near  to  the  City 
and  strong-hold 

Known  as  Quebec,  and  controlling  the  wonderful  Riv- 
er St.  Lawrence. 

Quickly  we  crossed  the  big  River,  and  reached  the 

tents  of  my  captors. 

After  a  rest  of  two  days  from  the  tedious  and  weari- 
some journey 

Men  of  the  Tribe  were  assembled;  and  I  was  pre- 
sented before  them. 

No  conversation  was  possible;  for  they  knew  nothing 
of  English; 

And  in  their  Indian  language  in  turn  I  was  equally  un- 
skilled. 


48  HARTFORD 

Being  then  satisfied  fully  at  last  with  their  curious  look- 
ing, 

They  in  grim  silence  retired  with  slow  pace  to  their 

various  wigwams. 

I  was  then  set  to  my  menial  tasks,  and  required  to 
bring  water, — 

Fuel  to  cut  in  the  forest,  and  bring  to  the  lodge  in 
abundance, — 

Animals  killed  by  the  hunters  to  bring  to  the  Camp, 
and  prepare  them 

For  the  use  of  the  Squaws  in  their  vile  aboriginal  cook- 
ing. 

After  a  while  I  was  taken  for  show  in  the  streets  of 
the  City ; 

And  I  suppose  I  was  offered  for  sale  to  fantastical 
Frenchmen. 

Still  I  remained,  however,  with  worse  than  barbarous 
Indians ; 

But  I  was  somewhat  relieved  in  my  sad  and  pitiful 
bondage 

By  the  discovery  that  these  savages  also  were  hold- 
ing 

Near  me  another  poor  Englishman  groaning  in  similar 
thralldom. 

Shortly  I  met  and  conversed  with  the  man,  and  had 
learned  all  his  story, 

Which  is  too  long  and  too  sad  for  my  present  so  hasty 
narration. 

Grieved  I  was  to  perceive  that  his  health  was  incura- 
bly broken, 

And  that  the  grave  would  shortly  afford  him  a  coveted 
refuge. 

Name  of  my  new  acquaintance  I  found  to  be  Samuel 
Reyburn, — 

Genial  man  of  some  learning  was  he ;  and  much  had  he 
traveled ; 

Short  time  then  was  sufficient  to  render  us  intimate 
close  friends. 


HARTFORD  49 

Once  he  had  made  with  the  hunters  a  journey  far  to 
to  the  north-east, 

Searching  three  months  for  the  furs  of  the  Ermine,  Ot- 
ter, and  Beaver ; 

And  in  this  jaunt  he  had  stumbled  by  chance  upon  ar- 
ticles hidden 

Long  before  in  a  hollow  tree  large,  which  had  recently 

blown  down. 

One  of  these  things  was  a  package  containing  a  Man- 
uscript, large  and 

Well  preserved,  but  written  in  language  that  was  not 
familiar. 

Thinking  it  likely  to  be  of  some  value,  this  work  he  had 
brought  back, — 

And  now,  fearing  he  never  would  come  again  to  his 
birth-land, 

Gave  this  Treasure  to  me,  and  requested  that  I  should 
endeavor 

Something  to  learn  of  its  nature  and  purport,  and 

what  was  its  value. 

Few  were  the  weeks  that  elapsed  after  this  till  he  left 
me  lamenting, 

And  to  the  land  of  the  blessed  escaped  from  the  hands 

of  the  Indians. 

More  than  ever  confinement  was  irksome  to  me  in 
his  absence; 

And  one  day,  while  the  Indians  were  gone  to  the  chase 
of  the  great  Moose, 

And  the  Squaws  were  absorbed  in  their  business  of 
washing  and  cooking, 

Quietly  moving  away  to  the  place  where  I  had  con- 
cealed them, 

Taking  the  Package,  a  gun,  some  powder,  and  some 
other  few  things, 

Straight  to  the  River  I  went,  where  I  found  some  ca- 
noes made  of  birch-bark, 

And,  seizing  one,  I  was  over  and  off  before  any  sus- 
pected. 


50  HARTFORD 

Dismal  and  long  was  my  route  of  return  ;  and  greatly 
I  suffered, 

Fearing  the  foe,  and  worn  down  by  fatigue,  and  by 
hunger  and  thirsting, 

Dreading  to  find  that  all  my  friends  here  had  been 
captured  or  murdered, — 

Sometimes  terrified  during  the  night  by  the  howling  of 
wild  beasts, 

Scorched  by  the  withering  heat  of  the  unclouded  sun  in 
the  daytime, 

Stiffened  by   sharp   cutting  winds   and   the  pestilent 
frost  in  the  night  time, 

Anxious  and  doubtful  concerning  the  route  in  the  nu- 
merous dark  days, — 

Yet  was  I  strengthened  and  cheered  by  the  hope  of  be- 
holding these  kind  friends, 

And  of  renewing  that  intercourse,  friendly,  and  pleas- 
ant, and  social, 

Which  I  valued  so  highly  before  my  horrible  bond- 
age. 

Leaving  the  River  majestic  which  passes  Quebec,  I 
ascended 

First  the  Valley  Chaudiere,  and,  crossing  a  lofty  and 
rough  ridge, 

Came  to  the  head  of  the  same  little  fishing  stream  flow- 
ing to  south-west 

Which  the  Indians  had  followed  in  making  their  vil- 
lainous home-run. 

This  I  descended,  and  followed  it  far  in  its  sinuous 
long  course 

Till  it  became  by  degrees  a  broad  River,  majestic  and 

placid. 

After  a  while,  however,  the  Valley  grew  slender  and 
rock-bound ; 

And  the  great  River  was  forced  through  a  channel  sur- 
prisingly deep-worn, 

And  so  narrow  that  seemingly  one  might  jump  quite 
across  it. 


HARTFORD  51 

Having  in  fury  escaped  from  the  gorge,  the  River 
soon  broadens, 

And  becomes  slow  and  majestic  again  in  its  dignified 

on-flow. 

Downward  I  followed  it  till  I  encountered  one  morn- 
ing a  white  man ; 

And  from  him  I  discovered  that  this  was  Connecti- 
cut River. 

He  was  from  Windsor,  and  gave  me  some  tidings  of 
people  at  Hartford; 

Then  with  new  courage  I  hurried  along  to  the  colony 
Windsor, — 

Tarried  a  little,  was  feasted,  and  rested  one  joyful  night 
there, — 

Then  in  the  morning  proceeding  in  haste,  I  have  safely 
arrived  here 

Thankful  to  God  for  His  wonderful  care  and  protection 

vouchsafed  me." 

Eagerly  listened  the  people  to  Worthington's  elo- 
quent story. 

Then  the  delighted  assembly  lifted  their  voices  in  con- 
cert 

In  the  Doxology,  singing  their  "Praise  God"  loudly 
with  unction. 

Presently  then  some  Elder  proposed  another  Thanks- 
giving ; 

And  the  rising  vote  was  unanimous  for  the  proposal. 

Then  was  selected  a  suitable  day  for  the  jubilant  pur- 
pose; 

And    to    Sumner    were    tendered    apologies    for    the 
suspicions 

Some  had  unjustly  indulged  of  his  spotless  and  inno- 
cent honor. 

Second  Thanksgiving  substantially  followed  the  plan 
of  the  other, — 

Differing  much  in  the   details, — copying  closely  the 
outlines. 


52  HARTFORD 

Worthington's  safety  the  thing  for  which  they  were 
specially  grateful, — 

Seeing  him  present  roused  in  their  hearts  a  more  reso- 
lute courage. 

After  the  service  the  Pastor  requested  the  people's 
attention 

While  he  should  publish  a  brief,  but  very  important, 
announcement. 

Then  he  read  the  duly  declared  intention  of  marriage 

Of  Mister  Theodore  Worthington  and  Miss  Abigail 
Sumner, — 

Also  of  Lemuel  Sumner  and  Spinster  Talitha  Mans- 
field! 

Doubly  astonished,  the  people  received  the  announce- 
ment with  pleasure, 

And  in  it  found  of  a  mystery  great  a  most  perfect  so- 
lution ! 

New  Year's  Day  was  approaching,  and  previous  am- 
ple arrangement 

Made  it  convenient  to  set  the  duplicate  marriage  for 
that  day. 

Thoughtful    minds    of    the    people    now    anxiously 
turned  to  their  children. 

Months  of  the  Winter  were  all  they  could  have  for 
pursuing  their  studies ; 

For  in  the  others  their  strength  was  demanded    by 
various  labor. 

Soon  'twas  resolved  to  establish  a  School  for  their  care- 
ful instruction; 

And  for  the  Teacher  they  readily  chose,  with  excellent 
judgment, 

Worthington,  who  was  well  known  as  a  diligent  Clas- 
sical Scholar; — 

Building  designed  both  for   Church  and   for   School 
served  every  requirement; 

And  the  young  people,  ambitious  to  learn,  made  rapid 
advancement. 


HARTFORD  53 

Also  a  School  for  Singing  was  thought  to  be  urgently 
needed ; 

And  as  a  competent  Teacher  for  this  they  chose  Lem- 
uel Sumner. 

Busy  as  bees  were  the  people  pursuing  their  various 
callings, 

Yet  they  never  neglected  the  calls  of  their  blessed  Re- 
ligion, 

And  in  their  simplified  worship  were  constant  and  faith- 
ful and  zealous. 

Not  merely  this,  but  every  one  reckoned  his  calling 
as  one  part 

Making  with  others  the  sum  of  the  service  required 

by  Divine  Law. 

Present  the  New  Year,  people  assembled  in  Church 
in  the  morning, — 

Listened  to  Sermon  befitting  the  joyously  festive  oc- 
casion ; — 

Then  an  Epithalamium  greeted  the  Brides  and  the 
Grooms  there, 

After  which,  taking  their  places  directly  in  front  of  the 
Pastor, 

Joining  their  hands,  and  pledging  their  faith  in  a  most 
solemn  Contract, 

Each  of  the  pairs  became  Husband  and  Wife  amid 
congratulations . 

Afterwards,    such   as    the   time   and   the   place   were 
uniquely  affording, 

Spread  was  a  feast  for  their  friends  in  the  now  happy 

home  of  the  Sumners. 

Later  two  centuries  Worthington  Hooker  was  famed 
as  a  Scholar, 

Noted  among  the  sons  of  Connecticut  for  his  attain- 
ments ; 

Also  was  Sumner  a  name  of  renown  among  sons  of 

New  England. 

Bostonites  thought  they  were  likely  to  prosper  and 
flourish  immensely 


54  HARTFORD 

Since    for    their    clothing    they'd    excellent    "Cotton" 
abundant  imported, 

And  for  their  fishing  a  dexterous  "Hooker"  brought 
over  from  home-land; 

Also  for  building  they'd   plenty   of   "Stone"   of  fine 
quality  reckoned; 

But  they  saw  two-thirds  of  these  great  advantages 
leave  them 

In  behoof  of  a  Town  in  the  distant  Connecticut  Val- 
ley! 

This  was  unpleasant;   and  many  resented  the  dras- 
tic secession. 

Prompt  Massachusetts  made  haste  to  assert  her  right- 
ful dominion 

Over  the  Valley  to  which   her  people  were  rapidly 
fleeing; 

And  to  govern  the  Colonies  there  she  sent  out  a  Com- 
mission ; 

But  her  authority  was  not  acknowledged ;   Commission 
was  slighted ; 

Soon  she  abandoned  the  scheme ;   and  the  people  were 
left  to  pursue  their 

Separate  course  as  they  chose  without  danger  of  her 

molestation. 

Nevertheless  there  remained  some  envy  and  emulous 
ill  will 

Which  was  displayed  in  sarcastic  remarks,  and  in  fatu- 
ous falsehoods 

Tending  to  bring  discredit  upon  the  new  region,  and 
hinder 

Immigrants  seeking  a  home  from   repairing  directly 
to  that  land. 

"Rash  and  hot-headed,  they'd  rushed  into  war  with 
the  powerful  Indians, 

And  if  not  rescued  by  those  from  the  Bay,  had  been 
utterly  ruined;" — 

"All  of  their  cattle  were  actually  dead,  or  in  dying 
condition ;" — 


HARTFORD  55 

"Land  was  so  bad  that  they  nothing  could  raise  to 
keep  from  starvation ;" — 

"Hooker  was  visibly  tired  and  sick  of  his  present  po- 
sition ;" — 

"If  they  knew  where  they  might  go,  they'd  quickly 

abandon  the  station." 

Such  were  the  statements  concerning  the  men  of 
Connecticut  Valley; 

Yet  in  the  Spring  there  came  to  the  Colonies  many 
accessions, — 

People   of  means,    and    congenial   tastes,    who   were 

cordially  welcomed. 

One  of  the  settlers  at  Windsor  requires  to  be  spe- 
cially mentioned 

For  his  remarkable  service  in  arms,  and  also  in  oth- 
er , 

Spheres  of  exertion  and  care  for  the  juvenile  Colony's 
welfare : 

This  was  the  vigorous  brave  Captain  Mason,  or  rather 
the  Major, — 

Thus  to  distinguish  this  man  from  another  one  bear- 
ing the  same  name 

Prominent   in   the   Colonial    affairs    of   rugged    New 
Hampshire, — 

Said  to  be  also  a  distant  relation  of  Mason  of  Windsor. 

Trained,  as  Miles  Standish,  to  soldier's  profession  in 
Flanders, 

He  was  employed  for  a  time  to  construct  the  defenses 
of  Boston ; 

But  he  perceived  the  advantages  great  of  Connecticut 

Valley. 

Bold  and  courageous,  a  man  of  affairs,  and  for  en- 
terprise ready, 

Broad  in  his  views,  and  gifted  with  great  intellectual 
powers, — 

Born  for  a  leader,  and  laboring  much  for  Community's 
welfare, 


56  HARTFORD 

Great  was  the  honor  in  which  he  was  held ;  and  much 
was  he  valued. 

Many  high  Offices  filled  with  success  gave  him  great 
reputation, — 

Judge  of  the  Court,  and  often  as  Deputy  Governor 
serving, — 

Also  commanding  the  troops,  and  sent  on  Embassies 

weighty. 

Pillars  of  Church  and  of  Colony  too  were  Ex-Gov- 
ernor John  Haynes, — 

(Last  year  Governor  over  the  Colony  they  had  re- 
moved from), 

Still  in  the  future  too  yet  to  be  Governor  where  they 
were  living, — 

And  the  good  brother  and  Elder,  revered  for  his  worth, 

William  Goodwin. 

In  the  allotment  of  land  to  the  several  settlers  who 
first  came 

These  two  men,  with  the  Pastor,  and  Teacher,  got 
each  his  two  acres 

Close  by  the  others,  and  bounded  by  little  Mill  River  on 
south  side. 

Here  these  wholly  congenial  spirits  were  locally  well 
grouped ; 

And  they  were  often  consulting  together  concerning 
the  best  things 

For  the  Community  they  were  endeavoring  there  to 

establish. 

Others,  however,  like  minded,  and  equally  constant 
and  faithful, 

Occupied  other  positions,  and  they  too  oft  were  con- 
sulted. 

Found  among  these  were  Talcott,  and  Wyllys,  and 
Stanley,  and  Whiting, 

Dennison,  Webster,  and  Lord,  and  Wadsworth,  and 
Stanton,  and  Hopkins, — 

Bacon,  and  Webb,  and  Olmsted,  and  Bull,  and  West- 
wood,  and  Wakeman, — 


HARTFORD  57 

Chaplin,  and  Steele,  and  Burchwood,  and  Richards, 
and  Moody,  and  Lyman, — 

Men  of  repute;   and  some  of  them  later  were  Gover- 
nors chosen. 

Westward  a  mountain  as  monument  stands  of  Gover- 
nor Talcott. 

Much  they  considered  the  great  and  imminent  danger 
from  Pequods ; 

And  they  induced  the  Council  to  order  the  speedy  en- 
rolment, 

Arming  completely,  and  drilling,  of  all  the  men  able 
to  bear  arms. 

This,  then,  claimed  a  share  of  available  time  through 
the  winter. 

Perilous  times  were  upon  them ;    and  great  was  the 
need  of  wise  prudence. 

Cautiously  guarding  their  homes  as  they  could,  they 
kept  sentinels  posted 

During  the  night  at  several  points  to  watch  the  ap- 
proaches 

Lest  some   treacherous    foe  should  attempt  to  creep 

in  and  surprise  them. 

Not  only  present  and  threatening  danger  was  care- 
fully noted, 

But   these   Colonists   studied   the    principles    forming 
the  basis, 

Just  and  equable,  for  the  construction  of  Government 
Civil. 

Hooker  declared  the  Source  of  Authority  must  be  the 
People ; — 

That  'twas   their  right  their  Rulers   to  choose,    and 
Laws  to  establish 

Which  should  direct  the  Rulers  in  all  their  endeavors 

to  govern ! 

This  was  the  germ  of  Liberty's   seed,   which  has 
sprouted  and  grown  so 

As  to  o'ershadow  American  soil  from  Ocean  to  Ocean ! 


58  HARTFORD 

Eagerly  was  the  new  doctrine  received  by  the  Pas- 
tor's associates ; 

And  it  was  used  as  the  chief  corner-stone  of  the  State 

which  they  founded. 

Not  as  severe  was  the  Winter  as  was  the  terrible 
last  one, 

Yet  was  the  River  completely  bridged  over  ere  Christ- 
mas with  thick  ice; 

And  the  whole  region  was  covered  with  snow  to  the 

depth  of  near  two  feet. 

Was  the  snow  beautiful?     That  will  depend  upon 
what  was  the  view-point! 

One  who  relied  upon  milk  of  his  cows  for  support  of  his 
children, 

And  upon  what  could  be  found  in  the  field  and  the 
forest  for  fodder, 

Keeping   his   fire   with   limbs   that   had    fallen    from 
wind-shaken  old  trees, 

Wearing  not  boots,  but  protecting  his  feet  with  the 
relics  of  low  shoes, — 

Made  by  the  drifts  in  front  of  his  door  a  prisoner 
anxious, — 

Found  the  snow  anything  else  but  beautiful  in  its  ap- 
pearance 1 

But  his  more  fortunate  neighbor,  having  a  team  of 
stout  oxen, 

Furnished  with  boots  for  his  comfort,  and  having  a  sled 
for  wood-hauling, 

Having  provisions  in  goodly  supply,  and  some  feed  for 
his  cattle, 

Noting  the  broad  and  level  expanse  of  the  bright-shin- 
ing meadows, 

Noting   the   curious   forms   of  the   drifts   with   sym- 
metrical whorlings, — 

Noting  diversified    regular    forms    of   the    wonderful 
snow-flake, — 

Calling  to  mind  the  protection  afforded  to  wheat  and 
to  rye  crops, 


HARTFORD  59 

Reckoned  the  "beautiful  snow"  of  the  winter  a  positive 

blessing ! 

Horses  and  sleighs  were  not  then  the  delight  of  the 
youths  and  the  maidens, 

But  were  reserved  for  more  prosperous  days  of  the 

radiant  future. 

Invalid  wife  of  the  Pastor,  brought  in  a  litter  from 
Newtown, 

Happily  gained   relief  from  disease,  and   almost   re- 
covered 

Soundness  of  health,  so  that  long  she  survived  her  la- 
borious husband. 

Cheerful  in  spirit,  and  confident  too,  she  was  happily 
helpful, 

Bringing  new  courage  to  hearts  of  her  friends  when 

times  were  depressing. 

Early  in  Spring  the  River  broke  up;    and  the  ice 
in  great  masses 

Floated  to  sea,  or  was  thrown  on  the  banks,  which  it 
cumbered  a  long  time. 

Great  was   the  flood;    and  the  meadows   were   very 
extensively  covered, 

Gaining  fertility  at  the  expense  of  a  great  inconveni- 
ence. 

After  the  flood  the  season  of  fishing  began  to  ap- 
proach, when 

Colonists  hoped  to  lay  in  a  supply  that  would  last  them 
the  year  through. 

Salmon  then  came  to  the  River;    and  excellent  Shad 
were  abundant; 

Also  the  Herring  in  number  outrivaled  the  stars  in  the 
heavens. 

Perch,  and  Scuppaug,   and  Flat-fish,  and   Bass,  and 
Black-fish,  and  Lampreys, 

All  were  expected  to  swarm  in  the  River  during  their 
season ; 

Other  kinds  too  would  remain  in  the  water  the  whole 
of  the  year  round, 


60  HARTFORD 

Making  supply  for  the  wants  of  the  people  of  every 
condition ; 

But  the  attention  of  all  was  rudely  diverted  from  fish- 
ing! 

Terrible  news  from  the  Colony  Wethersfield  brought 
consternation : 

Nine  persons  there  had  been  murdered  by  savage  and 
merciless  Indians ; 

Also  two  others  were  seized,  and  into  captivity  carried ! 

Thus  at  their  very  doors,  it  seemed,  was  the  enemy 
knocking ! 


BOOK  III. 

Worthington's  term  as  Teacher  expired  at  the  end 
of  the  March  month ; 

Then,  finding  leisure,   he  turned   to  the   Manuscript 
Package  he  brought  back 

From  the  land  of  the  savage,  the  land  of  fantastical 
Frenchmen. 

This  he  soon  found  to  be  written  quite  fairly  in  Latin 
provincial, — 

Written,  it  seems,  by  a  Scotchman  whose  family  name 

was  Mac  Fusson. 

Difficult  task  it  was  found  to  discover  exactly  the 
meaning 

Borne  by  some  passages  couched  in  a  strange  and  bar- 
barous idiom ; 

But  with  patience  enough,  and  with  critical  labor  abun- 
dant, 

Came  there  at  last  a  sufficiently  perfect  and  useful 

Translation. 

Then  were  assembled  almost  the  whole  of  the  peo- 
ple to  hear  one 

Read  the  production  distinctly  with  powerful  reson- 
ant clear  voice, 

Adding  sometimes  a  few  words  to  explain  some  dif- 
ficult passage, 

Or  to  express  some  natural  feeling  of  pity  or  wonder. 

This  is  the  Version,  preserved  with  much  care  in  a 

private  Thesaurus : 

"When  I  had  wandered  abroad  among  strangers, 
like  ancient  Abaris, 

(Not  being  able,  like  him,  to  fly  upon  wings  of  an  ar- 
row), 

And  had  come  to  the  unfertile  land  of  the  copper-hued 
heathen, — 

While  I  sojourned  in  the  Fortress  Quebec,  engaged  in 
the  Fur-Trade, 

(61) 


62  HARTFORD 

Indians  often  came  in  with  their  wares  from  the  far 

distant  regions, 
Varying  much  in  their  color  and  forms  and  manners 

and  language, 

And  in  character,  too,  as  I  frequently  found  in  my  deal- 
ings. 
One  day  came  to  the  market  a  group  that  were  very 

much  lighter 
Than  the  others, — so  much  as  to  draw  to  themselves 

some  attention; 
And  I  observed  that  their  language  appeared  to  be  very 

peculiar. 

Words  were  often  unlike ;  and  also  their  modes  of  ex- 
pression 
Differed  from  those  that  were  used  by  the  other  and 

diff'rently  hued  Tribes. 
Buying  their  Furs,  I  formed  with  these  men  some 

little  acquaintance, — 
Learning  that  they  had  come  from  a  region  far  to  the 

north-east ; 
And  the  next  year  I  recognized  them  among  others 

returning. 
Buying  again  the  Furs  they  had  brought,  I  made  many 

inquiries 
Touching  their  Tribe,  and  the  far  distant  place  of  their 

hunting  and  dwelling. 
These  they  answered  so  well  that  I  was  resolved 

to  go  with  them 
On  their  return,  and  explore  a  region  not  traversed  by 

white  men. 
They  were  much  pleased  when  this  I  proposed;    and 

when  they  were  ready, 
I  became  one  of  the  party,  marching  and  camping  as 

they  did. 
Taking  the  same  direction,  we  went  for  some  days 

near  the  River. 

After  a  while,  however,  the  River  bore  off  to  the  south- 
east, 


HARTFORD  63 

While   we   still   continued   our   marching  directly    to 

north-east. 
Twenty-six  days  on  the  Trail  which  the  Indians  marked 

in  their  coming 
Brought  us  at  last  to  a  Lake  where  the  Tribe  was 

quietly  camping. 
Welcomed  with  rough  but  sincere  hospitality,  I  was 

much  honored, — 
Kindly  received,  and  presented  with  trinkets  in  every 

wigwam, 
And   more  especially  that  of  the   old  and  ven'rable 

Sachem. 
Soon  they  constructed  a  lodge  for  my  use  while  I 

should  remain  there ; 

And  I  was  presently  duly  installed  in  a  regular  te- 
pee. 
Then  I  went  with  the  men  in  laborious  hunting  and 

fishing 

Till  I  had  mastered  the  craft,  and  become  a  good  hunt- 
er and  fisher ; 
But  I  was  mainly  desirous  of  thoroughly  learning  the 

language 
Used  by  these  people,  in  order  to  make  it  a  means  of 

obtaining 
Some  information  concerning  their  origin,  arts,  and 

traditions. 
Therefore  I  studied  the  language  minutely,  and  labored 

with  great  care 
Till  I  could  speak  it  correctly,  and  also  could  easily 

write  it, 
Though  the  people  themselves  knew  nothing  of  reading 

and  writing. 
Finding  the  speech  of  these  Indians  to  differ  from 

that  of  the  others 
Nearly  as  much  as  in  color  and  features  and  habits  they 

differed, 
I  was  persuaded  that  they  must  have  had  a  different 

prime  stock. 


64  HARTFORD 

Making  inquiries,  then,  I  was  told  that  their  ancestors 
had  come 

Ages  ago  from  a  far  distant  land  over  sea  to  the  east- 
ward, 

While  the  copper-hued  Indians  claimed  their  fathers 
had  journeyed 

From  a  remote  and  indefinite  opposite  region  to  west- 
ward. 

I  was  also  informed  that  the  ancient  Tribal  Tradi- 
tions 

Were  in  the  care  of  those  chosen  for  that  particular 
purpose, 

And  that  the  oldest  and  wisest  of  these   was  their 
ven'rable   Sachem. 

Thereupon  straight  I  repaired  to  his  lodge,  and  re- 
quested as  favor 

That  of  the  ancient  home  of  his  Tribe  he  would  tell  me 
the  story ; 

And  he  suggested  a  suitable  day  for  his  careful  nar- 
ration. 

Promptly  I  went  to  the  home  of  the  Chief  on  the 
morning  appointed 

Where  he  was  soon  relating  in  order  these  wonderful 

Legends : — 

'Ancient  the  time  when  the  Fathers  remote  of  this 
peaceable  White  Tribe 

Were  the  last  to  escape  from  the  vanishing  shores  of 
Latuna 

Sunken  and  whelmed  in  the  ravening  boisterous  waves 

of  the  Ocean. 

Great  was  the  Island  Latuna, — forty  days  journey 
across  it, — 

Mostly  a  level  and  beautiful  land,  and  extremely  pro- 
ductive,— 

Having  a  range  of  rather  low  mountains,  not  far  from 
the  west  coast, — 

Reaching  from  northern  cool  clime  to  the  warm  and 
malarial  south  part. 


HARTFORD  65 

Spreading  out  eastward  in  beautiful  alternate  prairies 
and  wood-lands, — 

Favored  with  lakes,  and  traversed  by  Rivers  in  every 
direction, — 

Fertile  extremely,  and  always  producing  most  bounti- 
ful harvests, — 

Seemingly  favored  more  highly  than  other  terrestrial 
regions, — 

Fit  was  the  Country  to  nourish  a  great  and  superior 
People. 

Such  was  the  People  that  dwelt  in  the  land,  and  that 

prospered  there  largely. 

Having  subdued  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forests ;   and 
serpents  of  swamp-lands, — 

Hunting  sometimes  in  the  wilds,  and  sometimes  busied 
in  fishing, 

Much  more  often  they  tended  their  herds  and  their 
flocks  in  the  pastures, — 

Planted  their  various  crops  in  the  fields,  and  gathered 
their  harvests, — 

Made  themselves  homes  in  the  country,  and  builded 
their  numerous  cities, — 

Never  indulging  in  contests  and  furious  strifes  with 
their  neighbors, — 

Never  engaging  in  war  except  to  repel  an  invasion, — 

Studying  various  Arts,  and  enlarging  the  sphere  of 
their  knowledge, — 

Worshiping  very  devoutly  the  great  and  powerful  Sun- 
God 

For  whose  honor  they  many  and  beautiful  Temples 
erected, — 

Sometimes,    sending   Ambassadors,    forming   alliance 
with  nations 

Far  to  the  East  o'er  the  barrier  wide  of  the  flood  in- 
tervening,— 

Also  receiving  those  that  were  sent  in  return  by  their 
far  friends. 


66  HARTFORD 

Justice  was  reckoned  the  chief  of  the  Virtues,  and  so 

they  were  anxious 
Always  to  know  and  to  do  all  that  Justice  was  truly 

demanding. 
Greatly  revered  was  Mores,  the  wise  and  benevolent 

Elder, 
Who,  as  Judge,  had  rendered  the  people  remarkable 

service. 
Him  they  requested  to  write  them  a  System  of  Laws 

for  their  guidance. 
This  he  accomplished,  and  made  them  a  System  of 

permanent  value 

Which  was  received  by  the  people  at  large  with  unan- 
imous favor. 
Living  in  peace,  and  obeying  the  Laws  in  a  cheerful 

contentment, 
Greatly  they  prospered,  increasing  immensely  in  wealth 

and  in  numbers, — 
Living  so  long  as  to  have  it  reported  that  they  were 

immortals ! 
Average  length  of  their  lives  was  a  hundred  years  at 

the  lowest ; 

And  sometimes  a  life  of  two  hundred  years  was  com- 
pleted. 
Rare  was  the  need  of  Physicians   with   people  so 

generally  healthy; 
Yet  at  times  was  their  service  required ;  and  then  it  was 

ready. 

Priests  of  the  Sun-God  all  were  expert  in  curing  dis- 
eases,— 
Magos,  the  Seer,  more  especially  famous  than  others 

reported. 
Much  were  his  services  sought  by  the  people  who 

came  from  the  out-lands ; 
Many  he  cured  of  their  troublesome  chronic  and  painful 

disorders, — 
One  of  these  being  the  son  of  a  King  who  reigned  in  the 

Orient. 


HARTFORD  67 

This  Prince  offered  the  healer  magnificent  honor  and 
riches, 

If  he  would  go  with  him  to  his  patrial  Kingdom  and 
live  there; 

But  this  offer  so  tempting,  like  many  and  similar  oth- 
ers, 

Was  not  enough  to  allure  the  Augur  away  from  his 

birth-land. 

Largely  in  Commerce  the  people  were  busied ;  and  in 
their  exchanges 

Copper  and  Silver  and  Gold  were  used  to  facilitate  trad- 
ing, 

Every  merchant  carrying  Scales  for  weighing  these 
metals ; — 

But  the  method  was  clumsy  at  best;   and  so  they  in- 
vented 

Other  and  easier  means  to  accomplish  their  laudable 

purpose. 

Choosing  a  man  of  integrity  proved,  of  skill  and  dis- 
cretion, 

Him  they  employed  to  reduce  to  a  uniform  standard  of 
fineness 

All  of  these  metals,  and  then  to  make  regular  pieces 
convenient, 

Stamping  each  piece  to  indicate  fineness  and  weight, 
but  not  value, — 

Shunning  in  this  the  blunder  of  fools  of  some  periods 
later 

Trying  to  make  the  Coiner's  stamp  to  certify  value ! 

These  pieces  then  when  used  in  exchange  only  had  to 
be  counted, — 

Saving  the  trouble  of  weighing  as  well  as  some  other 

vexation. 

Houses   for   shelter  and   decent   repose   were   con- 
structed from  timber, — 

Also  from  brick  and  from  stone  when  better  were 
thought  to  be  needed. 


68  HARTFORD 

Well  were  they  clad  in  garments  of  cloth  made  from 

wool  and  from  flax-plant. 
Upward  a  plaid  was  worn  over  the  tunic  in  manner  of 

Scotchmen ; — 
Downward,  with  pantaloons  covered,  they  followed  the 

style  of  the  Frenchman ; — 

Then,  enveloping  all  in  the  season  of  cold,  was  a  mantle. 
Cov'ring  the  head  they  had  season-caps ;  and  for  their 

feet  they  had  sandals. 
White  were  the  people ;  their  features  were  fine,  and 

especially  pleasing; 
And,  in  the  cheeks  of  the  beautiful,  roses  and  lilies  were 

blended. 
Eyes  were  frequently  brown,  but  oftener  blue  in  their 

color ; 
Sometimes  too  were  they  black,  or  gray,  but  of  lively 

expression ; — 
Hair  was  in  general  redish  or  brown,  or  flaxen,  or 

golden, — 
Black  in  some  cases,  but  gray  or  white  of  course  in  the 

aged. 
People  at  large  chose  Rulers  to  manage  all  matters 

communal, — 
Setting  forth   rules    for  their  guidance   in   all   their 

endeavors  to  govern. 

Rulers  of  Dekads,  Rulers  of  Hektads,  Chiliads  also; — 
These    were    chosen    to    serve    for   one-year    periods 

only  ;— 
Rulers  of  Myriads  and  Rulers  of  Cities  were  chosen  for 

two  years ; — 
War  was  detested;   but  yet  for  defense  they  made 

ample  provision, — 

Army  consisting  of  all  the  men  able  for  regular  ser- 
vice. 
Implements  used  in  husbandry,  hunting,  and  fishing, 

and  mine  work, 
And  in  the  crafts  of  the  Carpenter,  Black-smith,  Mason, 

and  Woodman, 


HARTFORD  69 

All  were  employed  as  weapons  of  war  when  necessity 

ordered. 

Officers  chosen  for  public  affairs  were  Commanders 
in  war-time, — 

Ranking  as  if  they  were  chosen  at  first  for  the  War 
service  only. 

Careful  and  regular  drilling  was  had  in  all  martial  man- 
euvers, 

So  that  all  might  be  fitted  and  ready  for  action  in  con- 
cert. 

Dealing  in  Justice  with  all  of  the  various  Nations 
around  them, 

Seldom  were  any  disposed  to  intrude  upon  them  or 
attack  them; 

But  when  Homber,  Alphetus,  and  Meno  were  heads  of 
the  Nation, 

Thousands  of  pirates  and  robbers  in  ships  were  infest- 
ing the  ocean; 

And  they  determined  to  make  an  attack  on  the  peace- 
loving  people. 

While  they  were  yet  far  off  on  the  wave  their  plan 
was  discovered ; 

And  the  whole  Army  was  soon  in  the  field,  and  pre- 
pared to  receive  them. 

Numbers  were  hidden  in  ambush  each  side  of  the  place 
of  the  landing, 

As  the  main  body  was  set  in  array  on  the  plain  just  be- 
fore it. 

While  the  invaders  were  coming  to  land  they  skirm- 
ished with  arrows ; 

But  when  the  robber-fiends  leaped  from  the  boats,  and 
rushed  on  to  attack  them, 

Soldiers  retired  with  all  speed  to  the  favoring  high- 
lands behind  them. 

Then  about  facing  and  forming  the  line,  they  stood 
waiting  and  ready ; 

But  the  marauders  spread  over  the  plain,  and  were 
pillaging  homesteads. 


70  HARTFORD 

Then  those  in  ambush  made  haste  to  attack  and  set 

fire  to  the  Vessels, — 
Pushing  them  off  from  the  land,  and  cutting  them  loose 

from  their  moorings. 
Quickly  the  crackling  flames  rose  aloft ;  and  black  were 

the  smoke-clouds 

Which  the  terrified  robbers  now  saw  to  their  utter  con- 
fusion. 
Straight  they  relinquished  the  booty  they'd  taken,  and 

fled  to  the  landing 
Followed  by  soldiers  who  rushed  from  the  hills,  and, 

charging  them  sharply, 
Slew  them  with  weapons,  or  hurried  them  desperate 

into  the  Ocean. 
Some  who  surrendered  were  treated  humanely,  and 

finally  went  back 
Each  to  his  home  in  the  country  or  region  from  which 

he  had  started. 
Trading  by  sea,  the  lands  of  the  Scot  and  the  Gaul 

they  frequented, 
Bringing  the  products  of  Loom  and  of  Forge  for  the 

Grain  they  exported. 
Pictures  and  Statues  were  also  brought  back  in  their 

numerous  cargoes, 
As  were  the  riches  of  mines  of  Silver,  of  Gold,  and  of 

Diamonds. 
Commerce  of  wine  or  strong  drink  was  never  allowed 

in  the  market; 
And  no  drunkenness  ever  disgraced  and  destroyed  the 

people. 

Much  they  glorified  learning  and  arts,  and  valued  in- 
struction ; 
And  the  proficients  in  Music,  as  well  as  the  Poets,  were 

welcomed ; — 

Orators  too  were  held  in  esteem,  and  accorded  prefer- 
ment. 
Bentis,  the  Architect,  not  being  equal  to  builders  of 

Greek-land 


HARTFORD  71 

In  the  perfection  of  finish  of  friezes  and  marvelous 
columns, 

Yet  was  accorded  a  national  fame  for  his  beautiful 
structures, 

And  supervised   the   erection    of    numerous  national 

buildings. 

Tohar,  the  Sculptor,  had  studied  abroad  a  long  time, 
and  had  gathered 

Knowledge  and  skill  which  had  made  in  the  land  of  his 
birth  his  renown  great, 

So  that  his  Statues  were  much  in  demand,  and  had 
brought  him  in  great  wealth  ; 

And  his  glory  still  greater  became  by  his  Civil  prefer- 
ment. 

Painter  of  pictures,  and  using  a  wonderful  skill  in 
his  painting, 

Rimino  dared  to  challenge  comparison  with  the  out- 
landers, 

And  was  never  excelled  by  any  who  heeded  his  chal- 
lenge ; 

Yet,  'twas  said  that  he  always  acknowledged  some  debt 
to  the  Grecians 

For  the  instruction  received  in  their  land  in  his  wan- 
dering young  days. 

Musical  skill  was  more  widely  diffused,  and  superior 
numbers 

Labored  with  care  and  success  to  attain  a  good  musical 
culture ; 

Narbo,  however,  was  easily  chief  of  them  all,  and  ex- 
ceeded 

Those  of  his  class  in  the  masterly  strength  of  his  per- 
fect performance. 

Poets  there  were ;  and  their  merits  were  greater  than 
easily  stated; 

But  there  was  none  who  was  reckoned  so  far  in  advance 
of  the  others 

As  to  be  counted  the  absolute  chief  of  the  writers  in  that 
style. 


72  HARTFORD 

Cone,  and  Davus,  and  Fergus,  and  Hermio,  Madus  and 
Noes, 

All  were  among  the  prominent  names  of  the  Poets  in 

honor. 

Writers  of  History  shared  in  renown  with  Poets  and 
Artists, 

But  were  accounted  as  those  whose  gifts  were  less  not- 
ably brilliant. 

Orators  never  attained  to  the  singular  eminent  stand- 
ing 

Held  by  some  men  of  their  class  with  the  versatile 
Greeks  and  the  Romans, 

Chiefly  because  the  gift  of  eloquent  speech  was  so  com- 
mon. 

Famous  among  the  Shippers  who  traversed  the  bil- 
lowy Ocean, 

Trading  to  various  lands  that  were  lying  far  to  the 
eastward, 

Navus  the  Prudent  was  oftener  called  the  man  of  good 

fortune. 

One  time  he  sailed  to  that  shore  of  the  Island  which 
looked  to  the  sun-set, 

Trading  with  several  cities  and  numerous  towns  of  that 
region. 

Tarrying  there  he  was  blown  off  the  coast  by  a  terrible 
east  wind, — 

Driven  far  out  on  the  raging,  unknown,  and  untraveled 

Ocean. 

No  one  expected  to  see  him  again,  or  to  hear  from 
his  vessel; — 

Others  had  gone  the  same  way ;  but  none  had  returned 
with  their  story ; 

Yet  after  seasons  had  changed,  and  he  was  supposed 
to  have  perished 

Navus  again  returned  to  the  coast  he  had  left  in  the 
tempest 

Bringing  report  of  a  far-away  unpeopled  land  to  the 
westward. 


HARTFORD  73 

Long  was  his  story  of  hardship  and  dangers  encount- 
ered in  sailing, — 

Hunger  and  thirst  and  cold  and  a  host  of  unspeakable 
terrors ; — 

But  he  was  back ;  and  those  who  were  with  him  com- 
mended his  prudence, 

Saying  that  only  through  that  had  they  all  been  saved 

from  destruction. 

Rapid  Agalles  outstripped  in  the  Race  the  swiftest 
of  horses ; 

And  he  tired  them  out  in  a  famous  pedestrian  long 

course. 

Ortus,  the  Athlete,  having  encountered  a  bull  in  the 
forest, 

Killed  with  a  club,  and  carried  the  animal  home  on  his 

shoulders. 

For  their  amusements  the  people  had  shows,  and 
music  and  dancing, — 

Acting  of  parts,  and  trials  of  strength,  and  races  of 
foot-men, — 

Racing  of  horses,  and  chariot  races,  and  throwing  of 
discus, — 

Shooting  with  arrows,  and  hurling  with  spears,  and 
wrestling  matches ; — 

But  no  boxing  was  ever  permitted  with  fists  or  with 

cestus. 

No  kind  of  battle  was  ever  allowed  in  the  name  of 
amusement. 

It  was  enacted  should  any  two  fight  for  a  prize  or  a 
wager, 

They  should  be  forced  to  continue  the  fight  till  one 
should  be  killed  off ; 

Then  the  other  should  have  his  head  broken  by  vigor- 
ous clubbing; 

And  in  one  hole  they  both  should  be  buried ;  and  noth- 
ing should  point  out 

Where  they  had  found  their  wretched  and  infamous 
place  of  interment. 


74  HARTFORD 

Rigid  enforcement  of  this  made  prize-fights  very  un- 

f requent ! 
Stories  recounted  by  Bards,  with  interspersed  music 

of  great  Harp, 
Often  beguiled  of  their  tedium  long  Winter  evenings 

by  fire-sides. 
Sometimes  too  there  were  rivals  in  music  of  pipe  and  of 

lute-strings, 
Charming  the  old  and  the  young  with  the  marvelous 

skill  of  their  playing. 
Seasons  of  social  delight  were  the  feasts  on  occasions 

of  Marriage 
Where  were  convened  the  friends  of  the  parties  uniting 

their  fortunes. 
Simple  and  fitting  the  rites  they  observed  in  making 

betrothal, 

And  in  carrying  out  a  solemn  and  permanent  Contract. 
Bridegroom  repaired  with  a  number  of  friends  to  the 

home  of  his  chosen 
And  conducted  with  music  the  Bride  to  the  home  of 

her  husband ; 
He  then  presented  to  all  of  his  kindred  the  wife  of  his 

bosom. 
Cora,  the  beautiful  maid,  was  betrothed  to  Madon  of 

Bomar ; — 
Distant  was  Bomar  From  Cora's  abode  by  full  a  day's 

journey. 
Nearly  arrived  was  the  day  of  the  marriage ;  and  Cora 

was  ready 

When  a  messenger  said  that  Madon  was  sick  of  a  fever 
So  that  he  could  not  come  for  his  bride  in  the  manner 

appointed. 
Roxa,  his  sister,  had  come  to  request  that  she  would  go 

with  her, 

Bearing  at  least  some  little  relief  to  her  suffering  broth- 
er. 
Resting  that  night,  in  the  morning  they  started  with 

vigor  and  courage, 


HARTFORD  75 

Hoping  to  get  through  the  gloomy  primitive  forest  by 

day-light. 

Fairly  they  sped,  but  stopped  to  partake  of  refresh- 
ment at  noon-time ; — 

Then  very  soon  they  came  to  a  stream  that  casual  rain- 
fall 

During  the  previous  night  had  swollen  too  much  for 
their  passage. 

Troubled  at  first,  they  concluded  to  follow  the  little 
creek  upward 

Till  they  should  find  it  become  sufficiently  narrow  for 

crossing. 

Over  at  last,  they  hastened  along,  but  missed  their 
direction, 

Presently  lost  all  trace  of  their  path,  and  were  hope- 
lessly wildered, — 

Seeing  no  sun  on  account  of  the  clouds,  and  roving 
at  random. 

Night  coming  on,  their  hunger  was  scarcely  appeased 
by  the  fragments 

Left  from  their  dinner;   and  then  on  the  chilly,  damp, 
bare  ground, 

Sheltered  a  little  by  favoring  trunk  of  a  tree  that  had 
fallen, 

Clasping  each  other  in  sisterly  arms,  they  slumbered  to- 
gether 

Spite  of  the  winds  and  the  stiffening  frost  of  a  night  in 

December. 

Next  day  was  gloomy  and  dark ;  and  they'd  nothing 
to  eat  in  the  morning; 

But  they  continued  their  sinuous  course  in  the  hope  that 
good  fortune 

Might  in  some  way  give  escape  from  this  dismal  and 

terrible  forest. 

Late  in  the  day,  while  weary  and  faint  and  already 
despairing, 

Under  a  tree  they  found  as  they  passed  some  handfuls 
of  chestnuts ; 


76  HARTFORD 

And,  having  molified  hunger  with  these,  they  gathered 
the  remnants 

For  their  support  on  the  morrow,  if  life  should  remain 

unextinguished. 

Looking,  however,  a  little  ahead,  they  saw  that  rough 
steep  hills 

Lay  in  their  course;   and  therefore  they  could  not  be 
going  the  right  way, 

For  in  going  to  Bomar  their  path   should  be  con- 
stantly level; 

But  they  were  weary ;  and  taking  again  the  earth  for  a 
pillow, — 

Sleeping  all  night,  they  wakened  refreshed  somewhat  in 
the  morning. 

Making  a  meal  of  chestnuts,  and  turning  away  from  the 
hill-range, 

Now  they  proceeded  as  well  as  they  could  in  a  diff  rent 
direction ; 

And  in  the  course  of  the  day  they  found  an  abundance 
of  acorns. 

These,  although  bitter,  would  keep  them,  at  present  at 
least,  from  starvation ; 

And  they  procured  as  many  as  Strength  would  allow 

them  to  carry. 

Night  was  approaching;    but  now  all  at  once  they 
were  heartily  gladdened 

Seeing  a  ruin  deserted  which  once  had  been  home  of  a 
Woodman ; 

And  in  this  for  the  night  they  found  a  semblance  of 
shelter. 

Cold  and  dark  was  the  night ;  and  the  angry  and  piti- 
less north  wind 

Threatened  to  bury  the  sleepers  in  wreck  of  the  ruin- 
ous building; 

But  when  morning  appeared,  the  building  itself  was 
near  buried 

Under  the  drifts  of  a  blowing  and  shifting  and  ter- 
ribly deep  snow. 


HARTFORD  77 

Prisoners  close,  and  tortured  by  breath  of  the  mer- 
ciless north  wind, 

Still  they  rejoiced  in  the  shelter  by  virtue  of  which  they 
were  living, — 

Clung  to  each  other,   and  baffled  the  cold  by  their 

vigorous  movement. 

Wearily  passed  that  terrible  day;   and,  darkness  re- 
turning, 

Close  in  a  corner  they  laid  themselves  down  for  the 
horrible  night-time. 

Tardily  came  the  daylight  again;   and  the  storm  was 
still  raging; 

And,   to   increase   the   horror   still   more,   grim   sick- 
ness attacked  them 

So  that  they  scarcely  could  stand,  or  eat  the  few  acorns 
remaining. 

After  a  while,  however,  the  wind  took  a  turn  to  the 
southward ; 

And  before  night  the  quadruple  fierceness  of  cold  was 

relenting. 

After  another  unspeakable  night  the  sun  rose  in  the 
morning ; 

But  to  the  prisoners  scarce  any  vestige  of  hope  was  re- 
maining ; 

Gone  was  their  strength ;  and  their  acorns  were  gone ; 
and  no  more  could  be  gathered. 

Deep  was  the  snow,  forbidding  retreat  in  any  direc- 
tion ; 

There  they   supposed   their  bodies   would   lie,   when 
spirits  had  left  them; 

And  they  desired  a  message  to  leave  for  whoever  should 
find  them; 

But  in  their  absence  their  friends  were  alarmed,  and 
for  days  had  been  searching 

Over  the  forest ;  and  now  at  the  last  had  come  hither 
with  labor, 

Forcing  their  way  through  multiplied  masses  of  hin- 
dering snow-drifts. 


78  HARTFORD 

Found  were  the  maidens,  and  rescued  from  imminent 

certain  destruction. 
After  two  days  they  arrived  at  the  prosperous  city  of 

Bomar, — 
Ent'ring  the  house  of  Madon  the  Good  an  hour  before 

night-fall. 
Madon,  with  pallor  of  death  on  his  cheek,  on  a  pillow 

was  lying; 
And  when  he  heard  that  Cora  had  come,  he  smiled 

for  a  moment 
While  his  thin  hand  he  extended  in  evident  token  of 

welcome. 
Cora  imprinted  a  kiss  on  his  lips ;  but  she  saw  the  next 

instant 
That  on  the  lips  of  the  dead  her  passionate  kisses  were 

falling ! 
Raising  herself,  and  casting  a  look  on  the  friends  who 

were  weeping, 
"Let  me  be  buried  with  him"  she  exclaimed  with  a 

tone  of  affection, — 
Sank  to  the  floor  at  once,  and  yielded  her  life  at  his 

bed-side ! 
Single  the  grave  that  was  opened  for  both ;   and  the 

people  of  Bomar 

Covered  it  over  with  flowers  every  year  in  the  beau- 
tiful Spring-time. 
Roxa  survived  the  distress,  and  married  the  brother 

of  Cora. 
Some  who  claimed  magical  powers  had  followers, 

too,  and  were  favored. 
Oft  they  pretended  to  see  in  the  dark,  or  with  eyes 

closely  bandaged, — 

Hidden  treasures  to  find,  or  fountains  of  water  dis- 
cover,— 

Trace  the  course  of  a  thief,  or  tell  events  of  the  fu- 
ture,— 
Some  to  control  the  movements,  and  even  volitions,  of 

others, — 


HARTFORD  79 

Make  them  to  hunger  or  thirst,  or  to  sleep  or  to  wake 
at  their  pleasure. 

Oft  they  assumed  to  cure  the  sick  by  their  manipula- 
tions. 

Many  were  said  to  rise  in  the  air  by  the  force  of 
their  will-power, 

Flying  wherever  they  chose  without  visible  wings  to 

uplift  them. 

Augur  Hovores,  Sage,  and  ambassador  frequently 
chosen, — 

Prudent,   and  learned,  and   friendly,   and   Author  of 
numerous  Volumes, — 

Carried,  as  symbol  of  Priesthood,  an  Arrow  regarded 
as  sacred; 

And  on  this  he  was  fabled  to  ride  in  his  very  long  jour- 
neys, 

Passing  o'er  land  and  o'er  sea  many  days  without  eat- 
ing or  sleeping, — 

Foretelling  Earthquakes,  destroying  Plagues,  and  soon 

quieting  Tempests. 

Passing  these  fables  and  others,  he's  known  to  have 
visited  Athens, 

Sparta,  and  Delos,  and  also  the  shores  of  the  western 
Italia, — 

Meeting  Pythagoras  there,  and  receiving  some  favors 
unusual, — 

Making  return  for  which  he  presented  the  mystical  Ar- 
row. 

Master  of  all  the  learning  as  well  as  the  language  of 
Greek-land, 

He  was  acknowledged  the  peer  of  her  world-renowned 

Scholars  and  Statesmen. 

Peaceful  and  prosperous,  fertile  and  pleasant,  and 
peopled  immensely, 

Nations  beheld  with  a  great  admiration  the  happy  La- 
tuna  ; — 

Yet  in  a  night  all  the  happiness  fled  from  the  beautiful 
region 


8o  HARTFORD 

Shaken  and  wrecked  by  the  horrible  force  of  a  violent 

earthquake. 

Houses  unnumbered   were  thrown  to  the  ground; 
and  people  were  buried 

Under  the  ruins  of  Cities  and  Towns  all  over  the 

country ! 

After  that  night  a  new  island  appeared  some  miles 
to  the  eastward  ; 

But  in  short  time  this  island  again  was  submerged ;  and 
a  huge  wave 

Burst  unexpected  on  low-lying  shores  of  afflicted  La- 
tuna. 

Thousands  were  drowned  in  the  flood ;  but  many  un- 
happy survivors 

Fled  to  the  hills,  and  found  there  safety  from  present 
destruction. 

Seeing  their  wealth,  their  friends  and  their  neighbors 
o'erwhelmed  in  the  waters, 

Some  of  them  wished  that  they  too  had  shared  in  the 

fate  of  their  loved  ones. 

Land  thus  ingulfed  by  the  sea  remained  in  Neptune's 
possession ; 

But  the  people  on  high  lands  supposed  they  were  free 
from  such  danger. 

Plowing  and  sowing  and  reaping,  and  plying  their 
other  vocations, 

Still  they  were  hopeful  of  life  and  prosperous  days  in 

the  future. 

Thrice  had  the  harvests  been  gathered,  and  Winter 
was  coming  as  usual, 

When  they  discovered  that  even  the  permanent  hills 
were  subsiding, — 

Some  of  them  being  already  o'ertopped  by  the  incom- 
ing waters ! 

Filled  with  dismay,  they  believed  they  were  doomed 
to  the  fate  of  the  low-lands ; 

And  they  began  to  depart  from  the  hard-fated  coun- 
try by  thousands. 


HARTFORD  81 

Many,  however,  still  dared  to  remain,  and  to  watch  the 

subsidance, — 
Trusting  that  mountains  at  least  would  be  spared  by 

omnivorous  Ocean. 
Some  too  remained  from  the  lack  of  the  requisite  means 

for  removing. 
Steadily  now  the  Island  went  down;    and  steadily 

dwindled  the  people 

Till  there  was  left  a  disconsolate,  pitiful  few  of  heart- 
broken 
Victims  on  top  of  the  ridge  of  the  western  subsiding 

low  mountains. 
Here  they  constructed  a   raft  and  some  boats,   and 

awaited  the  waters. 
Soon  these  were  present,  when,  mounting  the  raft, 

and  filling  the  small  boats, 
Taking  whatever  provisions  they'd  painfully  managed 

to  gather, 
Trusting  themselves  to  the  winds  and  the  waves,  and 

the  help  of  the  Great  Gods, 
Outward  they  pushed  from  the  rock  as  'twas  finally 

totally  covered ! 
Floating  at  random,  they  seemed  for  a  day  to  remain 

withou  moving; 
But  on  the  next  the  furious  wind  which  they  specially 

dreaded, 
Coming  from  eastward,  drove  them  away  in  despair 

and  confusion 
Towards  the  proverbial  region  of  manifold  darkness 

and  danger. 
Long  they  were  driven,  and  suffered  extremes  in 

their  perilous  journey, 

But  by  taking  the  boats  on  board  of  the  raft  they  pre- 
served them; 
And  at  the  last  the  raft  was  aground  on  a  shore  that  was 

vacant. 
Landing    then    here,    they    found    that    the    country 

abounded  in  wild  game ; 


82  HARTFORD 

And  there   were  treasures  of  fish   in  the   numerous 

Lakes  and  the  Rivers. 
Hence  they  concluded  to  settle  down  here,  at  least  for  a 

short  time, 
While  they  should  try  to  discover  some  happier  region 

more  inland. 
Cold  was  the  climate;    and  rough  was  the  tedious 

Winter  that  followed ; 
And  in  the  Spring  they  resolved  to  remove  to  some 

region  more  southward. 

Finding  the  River  which  comes  so  far  from  the  promis- 
ing southwest, 
Upward  they  followed  the  course  of  the  stream,  and 

made  frequent  encampments 
Till  they  had  gone  some  thirty  days'  journey  beyond 

the  vast  high  rock 

Where  is  now  the  great  Fortress,  and  market  for  In- 
dian traders. 
There  they  found  lands  that  were  fertile,  and  other 

alluring  conditions 
Such  that  they  thought  it  was  best  their  wandering 

life  to  relinquish. 
Here  then  they  lived,  and  increased,  and  were  specially 

prospered  in  fortune, — 
Giving   their   juvenile    State   the   patrial   name    New 

Latuna. 
Long  they  had  dwelt  in  security  there  when  powerful 

Red-men, 
Coming  from  regions  that  lay  still  further  to  south  and 

to  westward, 
Struck  them  in  fury,  and  shortly  had  almost  entirely 

destroyed  them! 
Feeble  the  remnant  that,  driven  away,  turned  back  to 

the  north-east. 

Still  driven  onward  by  constant  attacks  of  the  fu- 
rious Red-men, 
Scarcely  a  handful  returned  to  the  place  where  their 

ancestors   landed. 


HARTFORD  83 

Here  they  have  lived;   and  we,  their  descendants,  are 

living  and  dying!' 

Such  the  traditions  that  came  to  my  ears,  and  that 
filled  me  with  wonder. 

Here  without  shadow  of  doubt  were  a  Tribe  of  descend- 
ants remaining 

Of  that  great  Hyperborean  people  so  famous  in  old 
time; 

For,  comparing  the  Legends  with  Histories  written  by 
Greek  men, 

No  one  can  fail  to  perceive  that  Ambassador-Author 
Hovores 

Must  be  the  great  Hyperborean  Author  and  States- 
man Abaris. 

Leaving  the  Sachem,  I  went  to  my  lodge  and  began 
the  translation, 

Putting  the  Indian  Legends  into  presentable  Latin. 

Scarce  had  I  finished  the  task  when  I  heard  that  the 
Sachem  was  dying; 

And  he  was  scarce  in  his  grave  when  sickness  invaded 
the  people, — 

New  and  malignant,  and  proving  not  only  distressing 
but  fatal ; — 

Half  of  them  died  in  a  month;    and  the  others  were 

feeble  and  drooping. 

Later  I  buried  the  last  of  the  Tribe,  and  was  left 
to  my  own  care. 

Now  I  am  feeling  a  terrible  pain ;  and  my  hand  is  un- 
steady ; 

Doubtless  I'm  sick;   and  perhaps  I  am  actually  dying 
alone  here, — 

None  to  lament  and  no  one  to  bury  Mac  Fusson  of  Glen 

Mar." 

Listened  the  people  with  mingled  emotions  of  doubt 
and  of  wonder 

Added  to  those  of  genuine  sorrow  and  tender  compas- 
sion. 


84  HARTFORD 

Much  they  applauded  the  Reader,  and  much  the  faith- 
ful Translator. 

Then  they  retired  to  their  homes,  and  discussed  the 
late  Indian  murders. 


BOOK  IV. 

Sachem  and  Tribe  had  been  driven  from  lands  upon 
which  they  were  living 

By  the  more  powerful,  covetous,  quarrelsome  Tribe  of 

the  Pequods. 

Fugitives,  still  maintaining  their  right  to  the  land  of 
their  fathers, 

Quickly  they  turned  to  the  promising  friendship  of 
neighboring  English, — 

Asking  them  kindly  to  come  and  reside  in  that  beauti- 
ful Valley,— 

Offering  many  and  weighty  inducements  to  action  of 

that  kind. 

Colonists,  learning  the  state  of  the  case,  felt  perfectly 
certain 

That  there  was  right  on  the  side  of  their  cordial  gen- 
erous new  friends 

While  there  was  wrong  on  the  side  of  the  bloody  and 
treacherous  Pequods. 

Hence  they  determined  to  make  an  attempt  to  get  homes 
in  the  Valley, — 

Buying  the  land  from  those  they  regarded  as  owners 
in  just  right, — 

Hoping  to  mollify  threatening  barbarous  foes  by  their 
kindness. 

Vain  was  this  hope;    for  deep  was  the  purpose  and 
plot  of  the  Pequods 

Horrible  vengeance  to  take  by  a  sudden  and  utter  de- 
struction. 

Formerly  coming  from  westward,  they  conquered  the 
previous  dwellers, 

Making  them  Subjects,  or  driving  them  out  from  the 
lands  of  their  fathers, — 

Seizing  the  goodliest  places  for  hunting  and  fishing  and 
seeding. 

(85) 


86  HARTFORD 

Widely  they  ruled  over  Tribes  that  then  lived  in  the 

south  of  New  England, — 
Even  extending  their  sway  to  some  parts  of  the  distant 

Long  Island, — 

Making,  wherever  'twas  heard,  their  name  to  be  count- 
ed a  terror. 

They  from  the  first  to  the  English  incomers  were  bit- 
terly hostile, 
And  were  determined  in  some  way  to  compass  their 

extermination. 
Bent  upon  this,  they  endeavored  to  form  an  extensive 

alliance, — 
Hoping  to  use  the  whole  power  of  the  Indians  to  drive 

out  the  pale-face. 
In  the  pursuit  of  this  scheme  they  had  sent  to  the 

tribe  Narragansett 
Chosen  Ambassadors, — able  and  crafty  and  eloquent 

speakers, — 
Who  should  present  to  the  Chiefs  the  most  powerfully 

cogent  of  reasons 
Why  they  should  join  in  the  horrid  conspiracy  rapidly 

forming. 
Williams,  the  banished,  at  Providence,  sent  to  the 

people  of  Boston 
News  of  the  Indian  plot ;  and  being  requested,  in  sore 

need, 
Used  his  endeavors  with  skill  and  success  to  baffle  the 

Pequods, — 
Making  it  seem  as  if  God  had  designed  through  his 

pitiful  exile 
Greatly  to  bless  his  mistaken  and  stupidily  envious 

brethren 
Just  as  the  Patriarch  Joseph,  when  stupidly  banished  to 

Egypt, 
Was  to  his  brethren  the  means  of  saving  their  lives 

from  destruction. 

Dark  was  the  chilly  tempestuous  day  when  the  pio- 
neer started 


HARTFORD  87 

All  by  himself  in  a  rickety  boat,  on  his  perilous  jour- 
ney 

Down  the  rough  River  and  dangerous  Bay,  some  thirty 
miles  rowing, 

To  the  abode  of  the  powerful  Chief  on  whom  all  was 

dependent. 

Reaching  the  home  of  Canonicus,  quickly  he  found 
that  already 

Pequod  Ambassadors  were  with  the  Sachem  in  close 
consultation ; 

And  for  three  days  Williams  faced  them  in  Council,  re- 
butting their  crafty 

Pleas,  and  dissuading  the  Chief  from  their  urgently 
proffered  alliance; — 

Three  days  too  was  exposed  to  their  murderous  hatch- 
ets and  long  knives 

Which  he  had  reason  to  fear  would  be  turned  upon  him 

in  their  vengeance. 

Thwarted  at  last,  the  ambassadors  went  to  their  peo- 
ple in  anger; 

Williams,  in  safety  restored  to  his  home  and  his  faithful 
companions, 

Grateful,  gave  thanks  for  the  manifest  blessing  of  God 
on  his  efforts, 

And  in  like  manner  continued  his  service  unique  for 

the  English. 

Sassacus,  crafty  and  subtle,  the  Chief  of  the  Tribe 
of  the  Pequods, 

Though  he  had  been  unsuccessful  in  forming  his  pur- 
posed alliance, 

Yet  was  determined  his  ultimate  end  by  some  means  to 
accomplish. 

Tribes  that  were  subject  to  him  were  incited  to  mur- 
der the  English 

When  and  wherever  they  found  them  alone,  or  not 
ready  for  fighting. 

He  was  blood-guilty,  though  often  by  artifice  shunning 
detection. 


88  HARTFORD 

Indian  methods  were  cruel  and  cowardly,  hateful  and 
horrid. 

Lurking  in  ambush,  they  sought  to  surprise  their  vic- 
tims unthinking 

While   they  were  busy  in  peaceful  affairs,  or  were 
quietly  sleeping, — 

Making  of  children,  of  women,  and  men,  indiscrimin- 
ate slaughter. 

Finding  a  home  some  little  removed  from  all  shelter- 
ing neighbors, 

Stealthily  coming  in  darkness  of  night,  they  would  burn 
down  the  house,  and 

Massacre  all  who  attempted  escape  from  the  horrible 

burning. 

Tomahawks  crashed  through  the  skulls ;   and  scalps 
were  their  coveted  trophies ; — 

Infants  were  dashed  on  the  rocks  or  the  trees  in  the 
sight  of  their  mothers ; — 

Yet  'twas  a  boon  to  meet  a  quick  death  at  the  hands  of 
the  fiends  who 

Often  in  torture  displayed  a  rough  ingenuity  monstrous. 
Even   the   dead   they  would   mangle   and   mutilate 
shamefully  oft-times. 

Bold,  and  defiantly  wearing  the  clothes  of  the  victims 
they'd  murdered, 

Impudent  messages  often  they  sent  to  the  men  in  the 
Fortress, 

Saying  that  they  could  kill  Englishmen  off  like  mos- 
quitoes in  Summer. 

Such  were  the  things  which  the  English  endured  at  the 

hands  of  the  Pequods. 

Lieutenant  Gardiner  scarcely  had  finished  the  For- 
tress at  Say  brook 

When  he  was  quarantined  there  by  a  practical  siege  by 
the  Indians. 

Some  of  his  men,  sent  out  for  supplies,  were  murdered 
and  mangled; 


HARTFORD  89 

Others  were  captured,  and  made  to  endure  the  most 
horrible  tortures ; 

Gard'ner  himself,  going  out  with  some  men,  was  seri- 
ously wounded. 

Mason  with  twenty  good  men  was  sent  to  Gard'ner 
at    Saybrook ; 

And  while  he  stayed  the  neighboring  Indians  were  pru- 
dently quiet; 

But  in  the  region  above  they  continued  their  hostile  in- 
cursions. 

Soon  Captain  Underhill  also  was  sent  by  the  Council 
at    Boston 

Bringing  to  Saybrook  as  many  for  help  as  Mason  had 

brought  there. 

Blood-thirsty  Pequods,  in  number  a  hundred,  with 
some  other  Indians, 

Made  an  attack  in  the  Indian  style  on  the  Wethersfield 

people. 

Lying  in  ambush,  they  rushed  on  the  English  while 
working  their  corn-fields, — 

Killing  in  malice  a  woman,  a  child,  seven  men,  and 
some  cattle, 

And  as  a  crown  of  their  infamy,  carried  two  girls  away 

captives. 

Lives  of  these  girls  were  saved,  it  is  said,  by  the  wife 
of  a  Sachem; 

And  they  were  rescued  from  bondage  by  Dutch  of  the 
Island  Manhattan. 

Afterwards,  left  at  the  Fort,  they  were  carefully  ques- 
tioned by  Mason, 

Who  from  them  learned  some  facts  in  regard  to  the 
arms  of  the  Pequods. 

Kindness  shown  to  the  captives  by  wife  of  the  Sachem 
was  counted 

Much  in  her  favor  when  afterwards  she  was  a  captive 

in  Boston. 

Mason,  perceiving  the  terrible  danger  that  threatened 
his  own  home, 


90  HARTFORD 

Hastened  to  make  with  his  men  a  quick  march  up  the 

River  to  Windsor, — 
Underhill  taking  his  place  in  defence  of  the  Fortress  at 

Saybrook. 
Opening  Spring,  the  season  of  hope,  and  of  joyful 

seeding, 
Brought  to  Connecticut  Valley  not  joy,  but  a  dismal 

foreboding. 
Deep  was  the  gloom  which  pervaded  and  darkened  the 

whole  of  the  region 
Even  in  spite  of  the  brilliant  rays  of  the  sun  in  his 

glory,— 

Even  in  spite  of  the  woods  and  the  meadows  in  beau- 
tiful verdure, — 
Even  in  spite  of  the  loveliest  flowers  with  their  delicate 

odors, — 
Even  in  spite  of  the  birds  with  their  music  and  gorgeous 

plumage ! 
Time  for  the  planting  of  corn  had  arrived ;  but  the  corn 

was   not  planted! 
Dangerous  work  was  the  planting;   and  small  was  the 

hope  of  a  harvest; 

Nothing  could  drive  from  the  mind  the  dread  of  the  rav- 
aging Pequod ! 
Nothing  but  war,  it  seemed,  could  meet  the  imminent 

danger. 
May-day  came ;  and  a  General  Court  was  assembled 

at  Hartford; 
And  the  first  thing  that  was  done  was  declaring  of  war 

with  the  Pequod. 
Ninety  men  was  the  force  they  levied  at  once  for  the 

service, — 

This  being  nearly  one-half  of  the  previous  total  enrol- 
ment ; — 
Forty-two  men  was  the  quota  required  from  the  Colony 

Hartford ; — 
Thirty  from  Windsor  were  summoned, — the  balance 

from  Wethersfield  coming. 


HARTFORD  gt 

Mason  was  made  the  Commander  of  all  these  sep- 
arate quotas ; 

Ample  supplies  of  provisions  were  likewise  presently 
levied ; 

Samuel  Stone  was  selected  to  go  with  the  Army  as 
Chaplain ; 

Uncas,  the  Sachem,  with  seventy  Mohegans,  in  league 
with  the  English, 

Came  to  take  part  in  the  movement  against  the  enemy 

common. 

Scarcely  nine  days  had  elapsed  when  the  Army  was 
ready  for  marching. 

All  were  embarked,  and  began  to  descend  the  River  to- 
gether ; 

But  they  were  hindered  by  shoalness  of  water;    and 
Vessels  were  grounded, 

Making  delay  too  tedious  and  vexing  for  Indian  pa- 
tience. 

Uncas  obtained  permission  to  land  with  his  men,  and 
to  march  down, 

Joining  the  others  again  on  arriving  at  Colony  Say- 
brook. 

After  a  week  the  vessels  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
River ; 

And  it  was  found  the  Mohegans  had  fought  with  a 
party  of  Pequods, 

Killing  a  number,  and  capturing  one  of  the  insolent 
foemen, — 

One  more  completely  a  treacherous  villain  than  most 
of  his  nation. 

Him  in  their  Indian  fashion  they  cruelly  tortured  for 
some  time 

Till  Captain  Underhill  ended  his  miserable  life  with  a 

pistol. 

Waiting  two  days  at  the  Fortress  at  Saybrook,  when 
favoring  wind  came 

All  were  prepared  to  go  on  and  accomplish  their  terrible 
mission. 


92  HARTFORD 

Underbill  offered  to  go,  and  his  men,  if  they  were  per- 
mitted ; 

And  the  Commander,  accepting  their  generous  offer 
with  pleasure, 

Sent  twenty  men  of  his  own  force  back  to  assist  as  a 
home-guard. 

Onward  at  last  the  Army  proceeded  with  resolute  pur- 
pose. 

Mason  had  orders  to  land  at  the  river  on  which  is 
New  London, — 

That  is — to  land  in  the  very  heart  of  the  enemy's  coun- 
try;— 

But  for  good  reasons  he  thought  it  not  best  to  follow 
instructions ; 

And,  though  dissenting  at  first,  the  others  soon  held  this 

opinion. 

Passing  the  Pequods,  they  went  to  the  shore  of  the 
Bay  Narragansett, 

Where  they  conferred  with  the  Chiefs  of  that  Tribe; 
and  a  force  of  two  hundred 

Warriors  joined  them  to  make  an  attack  on  the  Tribe 
which  they  hated. 

Leaving  some  men  with  the  Vessels  to  bring  them  back 
quickly  by  water, 

Early  the  Army  set  out  to  march  over  land  to  the  Pe- 
quods. 

Twenty  miles  covered,  they  came  to  a  Fort  of  Ne- 
hantics  at  night-fall ; 

And  to  prevent  any  sending  of  news  to  the  enemy's 
quarters, 

None  were  permitted  to  go  from  the  Fort  while  the 
Army  remained  there. 

Next  day,  marching  twelve  miles,  they  came  to  the 
Pawcatuck  fording, 

And,  after  resting,  proceeded  three  miles  to  a  very  large 
corn-field. 

This  they  supposed  to  imply  that  the  enemy's  Fort  must 
be  near  them. 


HARTFORD  93 

Uncas  informed  them  that  two  strong  Forts  were 

held  by  the  foemen, — 
One  some  five  miles  farther  away  from  them  than  the 

other. 
Greatly  exhausted  by  labor  of  marching,  by  heat  and 

privations, 
They  with  reluctance  prepared  to  attack  the  nearer 

Fort  only, — 
Leaving  the  other  for  subsequent  closer  and  special 

attention. 
Guided  by  Uncas,  they  marched  very  cautiously  half 

of  the  clear  night, — 
Making  their  Camp  for  a  two-hours  sleep  on  a  spot 

well  protected, 
Having  a  swamp  in  the  rear,  and  high  rocks  on  the 

right  and  the  left  hand, 
Distant  two  miles  from  the  enemy's  Fort  on  the  shore  of 

the  Mystic. 
Scouts  in  advance  could  hear  the  noisy  rejoicing  and 

yelling 

Those  in  the  Fort  kept  up  in  their  triumph  till  long  af- 
ter midnight, — 
Thinking  the  English  had  passed  them  because  they  had 

feared  to  attack  them. 
Long  before  day-light  the  English  by  moonlight  were 

ready  for  marching. 
Coming  in  sight  of  the  Fort,  the  Indian  allies  proved 

cowards, — 
Slinking  to  rear,  and  leaving  the  English  to  do  all  the 

fighting. 
Not  very  large  or  strong  was  the  Fortress,  much 

dreaded  when  far  off, — 
Merely  a  common  Stockade,  inclosing  two  acres,  or 

some  less, — 
Having  within  it  some  seventy  light  and  combustible 

wigwams ; — 
Two  sally-ports  were  closed  during  night  with  logs  and 

with  bushes. 


94  HARTFORD 

Nearing  the  foe  unperceived,  and  making  two  parts 
of  their  forces, 

Mason  with  one  part  easily  opened  and  entered  the  first 
port 

Just  as  Underhill  likewise  opened  and  entered  the  oth- 
er. 

Soon  were  the  wigwams  all  in  a  flame ;    and  the 
slaughter  proceeded ! 

Caught  by  the  foe  in  the  midst  of  their  sleep,  in  a  mer- 
ciless death-grip, 

Horrible  vengeance  was  wrought ;  and  six  hundred  sav- 
ages died  there ! 

Burnt  was  the  Fortress ;   and  burnt  were  the  more 
than  seventy  wigwams 

Which   it    inclosed    as   if    for   defence,   but    for   real 
destruction. 

Partially  burnt  were  the  bodies  of  yesterday's  clamor- 
ous foemen; — 

Horrid  the  sight  that  offended  the  eyes  of  their  friends 
in  the  morning 

Who  from  the  other  Fort  came  too  late  to  take  part  in 
the  battle! 

Three  times  a  hundred,  with  impotent  rage  they  be- 
held the  grim  ruins ; 

Then  to  attack  the  retiring  victors  they  rushed  in  their 
fury. 

Bootless,   however,  their  furious   rage ;    and   nothing 
they  gained  so; — 

Harmless,  their  arrows  fell  short ;    and  none  of  them 

dared  to  come  nearer. 

While  it  was  burning  the  English  surrounded  the 
Fort  at  safe  distance; — 

Farther  away  the  valiant  Allies  formed  a  great  circle, — 

Thus  intercepting  the  flight  of  some  fugitives  who  were 
escaping. 

Seven  escaped  and  carried  the  news  of  the  battle  to  west 
Fort; 


HARTFORD  95 

Seven  were  captured,  and  kept  for  some  time  in  the 

hands  of  the  English. 

Two  of  the  English  were  certainly  killed ;  and  twenty 
were  wounded. 

Mason  is  said  at  one  time  to  have  been  in  imminent 
peril. 

One  of  the  Indians  at  very  close  range  had  directed 
an  arrow, 

And  was  just  at  the  point  of  letting  it  fly  at  the  Cap- 
tain 

When  the  string  of  the  bow  was  cut  by  Orderly  Da- 
vis ! 

Scarcely  two  miles  from  their  principal  river  the 
harrassing  Pequods 

Gave  up  the  fight  in  despair  of  success,  and  turned  sul- 
lenly backward. 

Mason  in  transport  discovered  his  Transports  ent'ring 

the  Harbor! 

Coming  on  board,  he  found  Captain  Patrick  of  Bos- 
ton awaiting, 

Bringing  men  ready  for  vigorous  service,  and  number- 
ing forty. 

Mason  with  twenty,  and  Patrick  with   forty  men, 
marched  over  dry  land, 

Sending  the  others  with  wounded  and  prisoners   by 

water  to  Saybrook. 

Uncas  went  up  with  his  men  by  the  river  to  what  is 
now  Norwich. 

Mason  at  Saybrook  disposed  of  his  faithful  and  true 
Narragansetts, — 

Then  took  his  men  to  their  homes  up  the  River  in  joy- 
ful triumph! 

Now  was  the  radiant  light  to  Connecticut  Valley  re- 
turning ; 

Sad  was  the  May;    but  now  it  was  June  in  Windsor 
and  Hartford. 

One  little  month  had  brought  wonderful  change  in  the 
state  of  the  Country. 


96  HARTFORD 

Neither  the  sun  in  his  glory  was  veiled  and  obscured  in 

a  night-gloom, 
Nor  was  the  beautiful  verdure  of  grass  and  of  foliage 

blackened, — 
Nor  were  the  flowers  with  their  wealth  of  ravishing 

colors  and  fragrance, 
Blooming  in  all  their  magical  grace  and  their  loveliness, 

frosted, — 
Nor  were  the  birds  with  their  music  and  gorgeous 

plumage  repulsive. 
Now  in  the  fields  the  farmer  could  labor  in  safety 

and  much  hope; 
Now  in  their  homes  the  people  could  rest  not  fearful 

of  slaughter. 

Greatly  the  dwellers  were  moved  to  rejoicing  and  ac- 
tions of  gladness ; 
Filled  were  the  Churches  with  worshipers  grateful  and 

earnestly  thankful, 
Praising  the  Lord  for  His  goodness  and  mercy  and 

wonderful  favor; 
Honors  and  thanks  were  bestowed  upon  those  who  had 

served  in  the  Army, — 
Chiefly  upon  the  Commander ;  the  gallant  and  valorous 

Mason. 
Hooker,   the   Pastor  at  Hartford,  commended   the 

work  of  the  Army, 
Publicly  giving  them  honor  and  thanks  in  an  eloquent 

sermon. 

Nature  put  on  her  choicest  finery  to  grace  the  occasion ; 
And  the  whole  Valley  seemed  blest  as  a  modernized 

Garden  of  Eden. 

Yet  was  the  War  not  finished,  but  only  its  action  sus- 
pended. 
Sassacus,  holding  one  Fort,  escaped  the  slaughter 

at  Mystic; 
And,  with  the  part  of  his  Tribe  remaining,  concluded 

to  go  forth, 


HARTFORD  97 

Making"  sojourn  for  a  time  with  the  Dutch  on  the 
banks  of  the  Hudson. 

Burning  their  homes,  and  destroying  their  corn,  they 
started  then  westward, 

And  as  they  crossed  Connecticut  River,  not  much  above 
Saybrook, 

Murdered  three  men  whom  they  found  in  a  little  boat 

quietly  sailing. 

This  being  known,  'twas  determined  to  follow  them 
up  on  their  journey. 

Underhill  with  his  Company  having  gone  homeward  to 
Boston, 

Stoughton  with  six  score  men  was  sent  on  a  new  ex- 
pedition ; 

And  from  Connecticut  Mason  was  sent  with  forty  to 
join  him, — 

Stoughton  "Commander  in  Chief,"  but  Mason  the  real 

Commander. 

Still  it  was  June  when  the  forces  began  the  pursuit  of 
the  Pequods, 

Sailing  along  by  the  northern  shore  up  the  Sound  of 
Long  Island. 

Uncas    with  some  of  his  Tribe  also  followed  by  land 
near  the  Vessels, 

Scouring  the   country;    and  finding  a   Sachem  there 
lurking,  they  caught  him, 

Cut  off  his  head,  and  made  it  near  harbor  of  Guilford, 

a  land-mark. 

Passing  the  site  of  New  Haven,  they  found  an  en- 
campment of  Pequods 

Hid  in  a  very  bad  swamp,  and  not  at  all  easy  of  access. 

This  the  Army  attacked ;  and  after  some  resolute  fight- 
ing 

Forced  the  surrender  of  all  the  old  men,  women,  and 
children. 

Twenty  were  killed  in  the  battle ;  and  seventy  warriors 
escaping 


98  HARTFORD 

Followed  their  Chiefs,  who  had  fled  just  before  to  the 

country  of  Mohawks. 
There  not  as  Friends  in  distress,  as  they  hoped,  but  as 

enemies  treated, 
Sassacus  died,  and  his  brother,  and  ten  other  principal 

Sachems. 
Scalps  of  these  were  sent  to  the  English  at  Hartford 

and  Boston. 
Stoughton,  returning  to  Boston,  reported  the  loss  of 

but  one  man 
Who  from  disease,  and  not  from  the  enemy's  weapons, 

had  perished. 
Still  there  was  left  a  scattering  remnant  of  fugitive 

Pequods 
Who  at  the  last  surrendered  themselves  to  the  English 

as  Vassals, 
And  were  ingrafted  into  the  neighboring  Tribes  of  the 

Red-men. 
Otherwise  captives  were  slaves,  and  distributed  over 

the  Country. 
Poorly,  however,  they  served,  and  soon  died,  ran  away, 

or  were  set  free. 
Sullen  and  insubordinate,  some  were  thought  dangerous 

servants ; — 
Hence  there  were  fifteen  boys  and  two  girls  sold  off  to 

Bermuda. 
Fate  of  them  there  is  not  chronicled  duly  by  negligent 

writers ; — 
Yet  is  our  wonderful  "modern  research"  no  longer  at 

fault  here; 

And  by  its  singular  aid  we  thus  fill  up  the  lacuna ; 
Doris  and  Lolo  were  names  of  the  two  girls  sen- 
tenced to  exile ; 
And  of  the  boys  were  Neco  and  Madoc  the  names  of 

the  oldest ; 
Doris  and  Neco  were  children  of  Sachems,  betrothed 

in  their  childhood ; 


HARTFORD  99 

Lolo  and  Madoc  were  also  betrothed,  but  when  they 

were  older. 

Reaching  Bermuda  the  captives  were  sold  to  ten  dif- 
ferent masters, 

And  very  soon  were  removed  to  their  several  distant 
Plantations. 

Doris  and  Neco  were  bought  by  one  man,  and  made 
servants  of  house-work ; 

Lolo  and  Madoc  were  separate  far,  and  were  driven  to 
field-work, 

As  in  the  sequel  were  all  of  the  others  in  various  places. 
Some  of  the  boys  succumbed  to  the  climate,  and  died 
of  diseases ; — 

Some  were  heart-broken  in  view  of  their  fate,  and  soon 
perished  from  grieving; 

Others,  worn  out,  were  soon  killed  by  their  labor  and 
various  hardships; 

Some  ran  away,  and  were  hunted  and  shot  like  ravenous 

wild  beasts. 

Doris  and  Neco  were  treated  at  first  with  something 
of  kindness; — 

Living  as  husband  and  wife,  they  helped  and  encour- 
aged each  other ; 

And  for  a  while  they  even  rejoiced  at  the  birth  of  a 
Daughter. 

Not  very  long,  however,  this  favoring  fortune  con- 
tinued. 

Sick  was  their  merciful  Master;    and  soon  they  were 
told  he  was  dying. 

Presently  then  the  estate,  including  the  Slaves  and  the 
cattle, 

Passed  to  the  hands  of  another  whom  every  one  knew 
as  a  tyrant. 

Doris  soon  died ;    and  Neco  was  left  alone  with  his 

daughter. 

Neco  was  patient,  and  suffered  abuse  without  show 
of  resenting; 


ioo  HARTFORD 

But  on  a  day  when  he  saw  his  daughter  knocked  down 

by  the  tyrant, 
Seizing  an  ax,  he  cleft  open  his  skull  on  the  spur  of  the 

moment, 
And  was  soon  taken  and  hurried  to  torture  by  tyrant's 

subalterns. 
Then  the  poor  daughter  was  shamefully  used,  but  had 

none  to  protect  her. 
Madoc  at  first  made  careful  research,  and  discovered 

his  Lolo; 
Then  he  applied  himself  closely  to  work  in  behalf  of  his 

master, 
But  was  abused,  and  treated  with  scorn  and  contempt 

past  enduring. 
Therefore  he  sought  out  a  place  in  a  swamp  convenient 

for  hiding, — 
Far  from  the  home  of  his  master,  and  never  approached 

by  the  white  men. 
Thither  he  made  his  escape  in  the  night,  and  lay  in 

concealment. 
Having  a  hatchet  and  knife,  he  could  make  his  own 

bows  and  his  arrows; 

And  with  these  he  could  furnish   himself  with  pro- 
visions abundant, — 
Sometimes  fishing,  and  sometimes  foraging  nightly  in 

cornfields. 
Stealthily  meeting  with  Lolo,  he  kept  her  informed  of 

his  movements ; 
And  a  long  time  in  this  way  he  continued  to  live  as  a 

hermit. 
Finally  Lolo  determined,  escaping  her  keepers,  to  join 

him; 
And  in  the  rudest  of  huts  in  the  swamp  they  reveled  in 

Freedom. 

Here  too  was  born  to  the  couple  a  son  in  this  sylvan  re- 
tirement,— 

Bringing  them  comfort,  but  making  them  also  un- 
speakably anxious. 


HARTFORD  101 

These  were  conditions  of  life  so  very  exceedingly 

fearful 

They  had  no  hope  of  maintaining  their  dismal  conceal- 
ment much  longer; 
Yet  was  the  end  more  nearly  approaching  than  they 

had  suspected. 
Madoc  one  night  returned  to  the  lodge  in  a  violent 

fever ; 
And  in  three  days,  spite  of  watching  and  care,  was 

Lolo  a  widow ! 
Then  Lolo  buried  her  dead  in  the  depth  of  the  swamp 

with  her  own  hands, — 
Burned  down  the  lodge,  and,  taking  her  infant,  returned 

to  her  master. 
There  she  continued  to  toil  while  her  infant  was 

growing  to  manhood, — 
Teaching  him  all  the  Traditions  she'd  learned  from  her 

husband   and   father, — 
Teaching  him  where  she  had  formerly  lived,  and  the 

fate  of  her  Nation, — 
Bidding  him  take  for  a  wife  the  daughter  of  Neco  and 

Doris, — 
Bidding  him  seek  for  some  chance  to  return  to  the 

land  of  his  kindred. 
Such  a  chance  came  after  Lolo  had  ended  her  life  of 

sad  fortune. 
Hannum,  her  son,  and  his  wife,  the  last  of  their  race  in 

the  Islands, 
Finally  made  their  escape,  and  returned  to  the  land  of 

the  Pequods. 
There  they  found  some  of  their  kin  who  remembered 

their  fathers  and  mothers ; — 
There  they  continued  to  live,  and  were  treated  with 

kindness  and  favor; — 
There  at  the  last  they  were  buried;   and  relics,  if  any, 

remaining 
Rest  on  a  hill  of  Mohegan  in  sight  of  the  City  New 

London ! 


102  HARTFORD 

Mason  returned  to  Windsor,  and  then  was  Com- 
mander at  Saybrook, — 

Raised,  for  his  many  good  services  done,  to  the  rank 
of  a  Major, — 

And  was,  still  later,  a  principal  founder  of  Colony  Nor- 
wich. 

Granted,  as  part  of  his  pay,  the  Island  in  harbor  of 
Mystic 

Has  until  now  remained  in  the  hands  of  his  lineal 

descendants. 

Closed  was  the  war;    and  the  Colonists   rested  in 
peace  with  the  Indians, — 

Peace  that,  with  jubilant  smile,  for  forty  years  was  un- 
broken. 

During  the  war  provisions  were  scarce;    and  their 
price  was  increasing; 

And  in  the  following  winter  the  people  encountered  a 
famine. 

Terribly  hard  was  the  season ;  and  many  succumbed  to 
its  rigor; 

Most  of  the  cattle  were  frozen  and  starved;    and  all 
faces  were  gloomy; 

But  in  the  spring  there  came  a  supply  down  the  River 
from  Deerfield, — 

Indians  coming  with  fifty  canoes  to  Windsor  and  Hart- 
ford- 
All  of  them  laden  with  corn  that  was  then  so  especially 

needed. 

Also  a  ship  from  Boston  arrived  with  provisions 
abundant, — 

Bringing,  besides,  more  people  to  aid  in  upbuilding 
the  new  town. 

These  were  a  company  goodly  and  strong,  and  headed 
by  Hopkins, — 

Him  who  was  specially  honored,  and  frequently  Gover- 
nor chosen. 

Grateful,  the  people  gave  thanks  to  the  Lord  for  his 
wonderful  goodness, — 


HARTFORD  103 

Praising  th'  almighty  Creator,  whose  mercy  endureth 

forever ! 

Quietly,  after  the  war,  the  Gen'ral  Court,  meeting  at 
Hartford, 

Drafted  a  Document  that  was  unique  in  political  story ; 

And  in  the  Winter  ensuing  the  thing  was  adopted  in  due 
form 

As  the  prime   Law  of  the  Colony's   Code, — a  State 

Constitution ! 

None  had  existed  before ;  but  this  has  been  followed 
by  many. 

All  the  States  of  the  Union,  and  even  the  Union  itself 
too, 

Have  in  the  sequel  adopted  the  form  and  the  soul  of  this 

model. 

Hooker  undoubtedly  furnished  the  central  and  prin- 
cipal doctrine, — 

That  the  People  have  right  to  prescribe  and  establish 
their  own  Laws, 

And  to  require  that  the  Magistrates  rule  in  accordance 
with  those  Laws ! 

Here  was  the  tomb  of  "divine  right;"    and  here  was 
"prerogative's"  grave-yard ! 

This  was  the  basis  on  which  has  been  founded  Ameri- 
can Freedom. 

Taught  by  the  war  a  lesson  of  prudence,  men  turned 
their  attention 

Earnestly  now  to  a  scheme  of  Colonial  Cooperation. 

Hooker  had  urged  this  matter  in  vain  a  half-dozen  years 
through ; 

But  at  the  last  he  accomplished  his  laudable  purpose 

completely. 

Hartford  and  Windsor  and  Wethersfield,  usually  act- 
ing together, 

Came  to  be  reckoned  and  called  the  Connecticut  Colony 
simply. 

Colony  Bay,  and  Plymouth,  New  Haven,  and  Hart- 
ford, united 


104  HARTFORD 

For  the  defense,  security,  peace,  and  repose  of  the  peo- 
ple; 

Agawam,  claimed  by  the   Bay,  by  Connecticut  duly 
was  yielded. 

(Now  it  rejoices  in  the  euphonious  title  of  Springfield). 
Long  were  they  hindered  while  much  they  debated 
the  troublesome  question : 

"What  is  the  Court  of  final  appeal  in  all  matters  per- 
plexing?" 

"Surely  the  people's  directors"  said  Boston  with  Win- 
throp  the  leader; 

"Rather  the  people  themselves"   said  Hartford   with 
Hooker  the  thinker ! 

Fully  to  this  decision  the  Country  has  come  in  its  great- 
ness. 

This  was  a  view  which  largely  controlled  the  people  at 
Newtown, — 

Leading  them  on  to  make  the  attempt  to  settle  at  Hart- 
ford. 

Forty  years  lasted  the  Compact,  and  rendered  an  ex- 
cellent service. 

(Little  Rhode  Island,  left  out  in  the  cold,  was  rejected 
unfairly)  ! 

This    was  precursor   and   model   of   greater   Colonial 
Union 

Afterwards  formed  to  resist  the  tyrannic  oppressions  of 
England. 

Efforts  of  Hooker  and  Haynes  and  Winthrop,  assisted 
by  others, 

Greatly  were  quickened  by  acts  of  the  Dutch,  and  the 

war  in  the  Home-land. 

Hartford  was  greatly  perturbed  by  the  questions  re- 
lating to  Churches, 

Which  were  most  ably  discussed  in  the  numerous  vol- 
umes by  Hooker ; 

But  even  these  were  o'ershadowed  at  length  by  a  ter- 
rible sickness 


HARTFORD  105 

Falling  alike  upon  English  and  French  and  Dutch  and 
the  Indians. 

Hooker,  the  well-beloved  Pastor  at  Hartford,  was  prin- 
cipal victim ; 

And  this  loss,  of  itself,  involved  the  Country  in  mourn- 
ing. 

Hartford  lamented  with  grief  that  was  real  and  hope- 
less and  lasting! 

Hartford   began   with    a   building   designed    for   a 
Church  and  a  School-house ; — 

Hartford  in  growing  has  multiplied  houses  for  Schools 
and  for  Churches. 

Cultured  Religion  from  first  to  the  last  has  furnished 
the  motive 

Which  has  impelled  the  most  of  the  people  to  definite 

action. 

Good  Education  has  been  the  desire  and  the  hope  of 
the  prudent 

Who  have  established  and  fostered  the  various  Schools 
and  the  College ; 

And  the  results  of  their  efforts  have  shown  that  they 
labored  discretely. 

Much  has  the  City  been  honored  and  blest  by  the  work 
of  her  Teachers. 

Science  has  opened  the  way  to  the  Arts,  and  to  rational 
living. 

Always  a  home  of  the  Arts,  the  City  has  treated  them 
fairly, 

And  has  been  richly  repaid  on  their  part  for  her  moth- 
erly kindness. 

Music  was  first  of  Fine  Arts  to  receive  any  special 
attention, 

And  has  continued  secure  in  the  favor  of  most,  of  the 
people. 

Part  of  the  worship  in  Churches,  it  always  is  studied 
and  practised 

Much  for  the  purpose  of  using  in  public  and  private  de- 
votion ; — 


io6  HARTFORD 

Having  a  natural  charm  for  the  ears  of  all  innocent  chil- 
dren, 

Rightly  it  fills  a  prominent  place  in  the  home  and  the 
day-school ; 

Having  a  charm  for  the  old  and  the  young  that  grows 
with  their  culture, 

Music  is  fitly  a  helper  in  almost  every  amusement ; — 

Used  with  effect  in  all  martial  parades,  and  even  in  bat- 
tie, 

Music,  in  peace  and  in  war,  is  an  indispensable  mo- 
tor. 

Hence  almost  every  one  some  musical  instrument  uses. 
Purring  Accordeons  mostly  have  passed,  and  Melo- 
deons  also, — 

Yielding  their  places  of  glory  to  modern  Pianos  and 
Organs ; 

But  the  old  instruments  still  to  be  heard  are  too  many 
to  mention. 

Music,  the  Art  of  the  people,  not  brought  to  perfection 
by  any, 

Has  in  the  City  been  followed  to  more  than  the  usual 

attainment. 

Also  the  Arts  of  Design  have  been  studied  and  prac- 
tised in  earnest. 

Few  are  the  Sculptors,  indeed;    but  more  have  made 
Drawing  and  Painting 

Means  of  expressing  in  visible  forms  the  great  beauty 
within  them. 

Not  with  ambition  to  rival  the  fame  of  Athenian  genius, 

But  for  the  love  of  Art  in  itself  have  many  thus  la- 
bored. 

Numerous  Poets  here  also  have  written  their  Verses 
immortal ; 

Orators  too,  more  numerous  still,  have  arisen  in  Hart- 
ford,— 

Making  the  place  for  earnest  and  genuine  Eloquence 
famous ; — 


HARTFORD  107 

But  to  Industrial  Arts  has  been  turned  the  most  con- 
stant attention, — 

Making  in  these  a  success  that  is  brilliant  and  wonder- 
ful truly. 

Countless   Inventions  of  things  that  are  useful  in 
peace,  and  in  war  too, 

Indicate  constantly  active  and  laudably  vigorous  brain- 
power. 

This  too  is  shown  in  historic  research  among  ven'ra- 
ble  Records, 

And  in  original  grappling  with  intricate  questions  of 
Science, 

Added  to  more  than  the  average  attainments  in  all  the 
Professions. 

Medical  Art,  unique  in  itself,  has  made  rapid  advance- 
ment, 

Proving  a  boon  to  many  a  weary  and  suffering  patient. 
People  of  Hartford  have  been  conspicuous  lovers  of 
Freedom. 

Freedom  at  first  was  the  object  they  sought  in  their 
painful  removing; 

Later  they  showed  their  spirit  when  Andros  demanded 
the  Charter; 

And  they've  remembered  with  pride  the  Charter  pre- 
served in  the  Oak-tree. 

Long  was  the  Tree  preserved  as  an  honored  and  sa- 
cred memento ; 

And  when  it  fell  by  the  force  of  the  wind,  all  its  frag- 
ments were  gathered, 

Stored  up  as  treasures,  and  scattered  to  uttermost  ends 

of  the  Nation. 

Afterwards  when  in  grim  Slavery's  days  fair  Free- 
dom was  threatened, 

Quickly   they  sent   relief  to  the  suffering  people   of 
Kansas ; — 

Then,  when  the  bloody  rebellion  arose  to  dissever  the 
Nation, — 


io8  HARTFORD 

All  for  the  sake  of  destroying  every  vestige  of  Free- 
dom,— 

Hartford  sent  forth  to  assist  in  the  struggle  for  na- 
tional Union 

Hundreds  of  brave  and  generous  men,  her  comeliest 
children, 

Many  of  whom  went  down  in  the  strife,  and  yielded 
their  life-blood 

Nobly  for  sake  of  the  cause  of  our  beautiful  National 
Freedom. 

Bitter  the  tears  that  were  shed  for  their  loss  by  their 
kindred  and  home-friends; 

Sad  was  the  mourning  even  of  those  who  were  personal 
strangers ; — 

But  there  arose  the  reflection :    "How  costly  and  pre- 
cious is  Freedom !" 

"Woe  worth  the  day"  when  the  people  of  Hartford 

shall  ever  forget  this ! 

Small  the  beginning,  and  slender  the  promise,  of 
Hartford  the  new  town ; 

But  there  was  planted  the  genuine  seed  of  all  human 
improvement. 

Fairly  it  grew ;   and  at  length  it  was  called  a  colonial 
Small  Town ; — 

Larger  it  grew  until  'twas  entitled  a  flourishing  Large 
Town ; — 

Still  it  continued  to  grow  and  improve  till  a  City  'twas 
reckoned ; — 

Then  it  was  known  as  a  City  of  culture,  refinement,  and 
learning ; — 

Afterwards,  growing  in  wealth  and  in  fame  of  its  nu- 
merous merchants, 

Hartford  was  called  a  City  of  much  commercial  im- 
portance. 

When  a  young  man  first  came  to  the  place,  he  found 
it  was  larger 

Much  than  the  other  small  Cities  he'd  seen  in  his  lim- 
ited travels ; — 


HARTFORD  109 

Coming  again,  he  found  it  like  seven  such  Hartfords 
united. 

Still  is  the  Beautiful  City  progressing,  and  growing  in 

favor. 

Hartford  has  also  sent  out  her  sons  to  the  ends  of  the 
great  earth, — 

Sending  them  forth  to  collect  and  bring  back  all  treas- 
ures  of  learning, 

Treasures  of  Art  and  Historical   Relics   from  coun- 
tries of  Old  World,— 

Natural   products   required   for  purpose   of  study   or 
teaching, — 

Wealth  of  all  kinds  afforded  by  regions  of  land  or  of 
Ocean ; — 

Sending  them  forth  to  convey  in  good  will  to  the  peo- 
ple less  favored 

Treasures  of  Art  and  of  Learning,  and  various  lessons 
of  wisdom, 

Civilization,  and  blessings  of  heaven-born  Laws  and 
Religion ; — 

Sending  them  forth  to  inculcate  the  principles  taught  in 
the  Gospel, — 

Good  will  to  others,  with  honesty,  truth  and  justice  in 
dealing, — 

Sending  them  out  to  impart  the  beautiful  lessons  of 

Freedom ! 

What  shall  the  future  disclose  in  the  fate  of  our  City 
of  Hartford  ? 

Turnnig  our  eyes  to  the  Magical  Glass  that  is  standing 
before  us, 

Double  the  View  that's  presented  in  wonderful  boldness 
of  outline; — 

Changing  from  one  to  the  other  design  with  a  change 

in  the  view-point. 
Looking  from  right,  the  City  appears  extensive  and 

growing- 
Reaching  to  north  till  Windsor  entire  is  fairly  includ- 
ed,— 


I  io  HARTFORD 

Reaching  to  south  till  neighboring  Wethersfield's  whol- 
ly encircled, — 

Reaching  to  east  till  sands  of  East  Hartford  are  con- 
quered completely, — 

Reaching  to  west  till  mud  of  West  Hartford  is  con- 
quered entirely, — 

Busy  and  bustling  and  noisy,  and  constantly  cheerful 
and  lively, — 

Rich  in  appearance,  and  rapidly  changing  its  fortune  to 
richer, — 

Showing  great  buildings  both  public  and  private  of 
wonderful  splendor, — 

Showing  a  great  City  Hall  near  the  center, — and  tow- 
ering above  it 

Words   in  great  letters   expressing  the   Public-policy 
Motto — 

Saying  distinctly  to  every  one  "We  are  helping  our 

Neighbors !" 

Looking  from   left,  the   City  appears  a  moldering 
ruin, — 

Streets  are  deserted ;  the  traffic  is  gone  ;  the  machinery 
idle;— 

Stores  are  not  opened ;  the  houses  are  crumbling ;   the 
people  in  mourning 

Saving  a  few  who  are  standing  around  the  great  Hall 
of  the  City 

Reading  the  lately  adopted  new  Public-policy  Motto — 

Saying  distinctly  to  every  one  "We  are  helping  our- 
selves now !" 

Changing  the  Motto  has  brought  to  the  City  the  direst 

of  changes ! 

Hartford  shall  grow  with  the  flight  of  the  years  and 
the  ages, 

Blessing  and  blest  by  her  Arts  and  Inventions  and  mul- 
tiplied Commerce, — 

Honored  and  loved  by  the  wise  and  the  good  of  all 
peoples  and  Nations, 


HARTFORD  in 

If  she  adhere  in  good  faith  to  that  noble  and  generous 

purpose 
Briefly  and  clearly  expressed  in  the  words  "We  are 

helping  our  Neighbors !" 


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